CAST: Jason Momoa, Ron Perlman, Stephen Lang, Rose McGowan, Rachel Nichols, Saïd Taghmaoui, Leo Howard, Bob Sapp, Katarzyna Wolejnio, Nonso Anozie; DIRECTOR: Marcus Nispel; WRITER: Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer; GENRE: Action/Adventure; RUNNING TIME: 112 minutes.
Technical Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For viewers age 18 and above.
A character originally created by Robert E. Howard, Conan is a great warrior in the continent of Hyboria. When Conan (Jason Momoa) is but slightly older than a boy, he loses his father. He alone survives when his village of Cimmeria is razed to the ground and his people, including his father, massacred by a marauding army led by Khalar Zym (Stephen Lang). This sadistic man is assisted by his sorceress daughter Marique (Rose McGowan) in his search for the missing fragments of a strange mask which will give him the powers of a god. He finds the last missing fragment in Cimmeria and his army marches on its path of destruction. Conan grows up in the fringes of the cities, sharpens his fighting skills and nurtures in his heart the desire to avenge his father’s death. When he is ready for his mission of revenge, he goes in search of his father’s murderer. Khalar Zym, on the other hand, is on another quest for the only surviving descendant of the pure bloodline of an ancient royal dynasty. He believes the blood of this descendant, a beautiful girl named Tamara (Rachel Nichols) will bring back to life his sorceress wife and thus usher in an era of unprecedented power and evil in Hyboria. Conan finds himself thrust into a mission that is more than self satisfying revenge.
Conan The Barbarian is an unadulterated war spectacle. Except for some “peaceful” interludes which are actually scenes of impending bloodshed, the film is crowded with graphic gory fights and fierce battles from the beginning to the end. And at the end everyone and everything evil is annihilated by the hero just like the expected ending of a fairytale. For the movie is also like a dark hued fairytale with its sorcery, black magic, monsters, accursed object (a mask, not a ring this time), and the “knight” (but not in his shining armor) who rescues a damsel in distress after slaying, not the dragons, but equally hideous serpents and other sea monsters. This present movie is a remake of an earlier one that is said to have helped launch an unknown (at that time) Arnold Schwarzenegger into his successful movie career. It is doubtful, however, that this present movie will bring the lead actor into sudden fame. Though Jason Momoa has a body that may be the envy of many and fighting skills meant for an action picture, this movie can hardly make an impression. The setting (some building and castles in the midst of barren deserts look like cardboard sets), the costumes, lighting, dialogues, even the music may need upgrading. Some of the lead actors, though not so well known, are adequate in their acting. Rose McGowan as Tamara looks lovely but does not have much chemistry with the hero. The movie with its hi-tech CGI and good special effects may be entertaining for action picture aficionados.
When one hears the word “barbarian”, one conjures up images of cruelty, immorality or behavior unacceptable in civilized society. Well, all of these are found in this movie. And since Conan the protagonist here is called the “barbarian”, one wonders if he can be both barbarian and hero at the same time. For to most of us, a hero vanquishes what is evil and is the embodiment of what is good and noble, though not without a flaw. Well, Conan is consumed with hate and desire for revenge for his father’s death. And one can understand why he feels this way. One can empathize with a son who has lost a reversed father and most especially if the father has been murdered. It is a crime that cries to heaven for justice and yet one can never justify revenge and exact another death or “take the law into your own hands”. Our Christian values are such that we cannot right a wrong by doing another wrong. Now this “barbaric” side of Conan is tempered by another facet of his character – his kindness to others especially the oppressed and the unfortunate as seen in his fights to free the slaves and captives from cruel treatment. He does not have to risk his life for them or for the girl Tamara who he does not know and to whom he is not attracted, at first. But he does. This spirit of self sacrifice, also bravery and heroism in the face of great odds especially when done for others are positive values in the movie, but the excessive violence, gore and brutality are objectionable especially for the young who can get desensitized to violence. Although the sexual scenes are mostly done in the shadows, still there is implicit sexual intimacy outside of marriage and this cannot be condoned.
