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Conan the Barbarian

Play trailer Poster for Conan the Barbarian R 1982 2h 9m Adventure Action Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 42 Reviews 74% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Orphaned boy Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is enslaved after his village is destroyed by the forces of vicious necromancer Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), and is compelled to push "The Wheel of Pain" for many years. Once he reaches adulthood, Conan sets off across the prehistoric landscape of the Hyborian Age in search of the man who killed his family and stole his father's sword. With beautiful warrior Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and archer Subotai (Gerry Lopez), he faces a supernatural evil.
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Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian

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Critics Consensus

Though Conan may take itself too seriously for some, this adventure film about a former slave seeking vengeance is full of quotable Schwarzenegger lines and gritty action.

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Critics Reviews

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Scott Cain Atlanta Journal-Constitution 11/09/2021
4/5
A dynamite movie for comic book fans... The moment Thulsa Doom turns into a snake will either thrill you or make you squirm, but you will watch in fascination. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 03/26/2009
There is a real anticipation as Schwarzenegger is unveiled as the barbarian and sets off on the road to independence. But for whatever reasons, the actor has a minimum of dialog and fails to convey much about the character through his actions. Go to Full Review Chris Petit Time Out 06/24/2006
Match verdict: no goals, slow build-up, but much absorbing action off the ball. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Feb 25
2/4
A wooden Arnie is not yet seasoned enough to work up the charisma that would serve him well in later roles. Go to Full Review Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 6
In the ongoing Sword-and-Sorcery Sweepstakes, while "Conan" is marginally -- less offensive than "Excalibur," it's nowhere near as good as "Dragonslayer." Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 08/19/2023
In many ways silly and strident, it’s still marvelous barbarian pulp, a beefcake fantasy of myth and magic built from grandiose sets, a magnificent score (one of the best from composer Basil Poledouris) and endless he-man matches of blood and brawn. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sophie Jan 9 I loved it so much and I love Conan See more Anita M Jan 8 Too violent. Didn’t like seeing nudity and sex. See more Peter T Jan 8 Classic fantasy flick and with Arnold Schwarzenegger! See more kyle Jan 8 Wow I heard 80s movies were sort of a low point of Hollywood. Arnold delivers here he scores with three baddies and chops like 100 people into bits. Everything wraps up nicely. Pure cinema See more HT Jan 8 The sword and sorcery prototype that helped Arnold become a star, this movie holds up surprisingly well! Growing up watching it via VHS on square formatted TVs at home, I was blown away by the cinematography in widescreen, and by the score in theater sound. The pacing starts a bit slow, but quickly picks up pace. See more Daniel C. @indymann1212 Feb 22 John Milius and Arnold Schwarzenegger are at the top of their game, bringing Conan the Barbarian to the silver screen. Gorgeous settings, poetic dialogue and epic visual storytelling. The story glides right along and is a visual feast of 80s fantasy cinema. John milius is best known for his embrace of the ultra masculine and he was an excellent choice to direct this film. Arnold fits the role like a sword in its sheath. One of the best sword and sorcery films of all times. See more Read all reviews
Conan the Barbarian

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Cast & Crew

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John Milius

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Conan

James Earl Jones

Thulsa Doom

Sandahl Bergman

Valeria

Gerry Lopez

Subotai

Mako

The Wizard

Movie Clips

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Conan the Barbarian

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Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian (1982) Conan the Barbarian (1982) Conan the Barbarian (1982) Conan the Barbarian (1982) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Orphaned boy Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is enslaved after his village is destroyed by the forces of vicious necromancer Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), and is compelled to push "The Wheel of Pain" for many years. Once he reaches adulthood, Conan sets off across the prehistoric landscape of the Hyborian Age in search of the man who killed his family and stole his father's sword. With beautiful warrior Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and archer Subotai (Gerry Lopez), he faces a supernatural evil.
Director
John Milius
Producer
Raffaella De Laurentiis, Buzz Feitshans, Edward R. Pressman
Screenwriter
Robert E. Howard, John Milius, Oliver Stone, Edward Summer
Distributor
MCA, Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures, Dino De Laurentiis Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 14, 1982, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 30, 2015
Runtime
2h 9m
Sound Mix
Mono
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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