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Conan the Barbarian

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Conan the Barbarian

R

Released May 14, 1982

2h 9m

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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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Scott Cain

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 9, 2021

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

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.

Mar 26, 2009

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Chris Petit

Time Out

Match verdict: no goals, slow build-up, but much absorbing action off the ball.

Jun 24, 2006

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

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.

Aug 19, 2023

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Instead of placating his audience with a safe, PG-rated adventure, Milius does the opposite and narrows his viewership with an R-rated epic driven by some heady ideas and a concentration on narrative over adventurous derring-do.

Rated: 3.5/4

Mar 9, 2023

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Phil Edwards

Starburst

Conan is terrible, a truly disappointing movie from beginning to end.

Jul 28, 2022

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Haskel S

Conan the Barbarian (1982) is a true masterpiece. Epic, brutal, poetic—this film is myth brought to life. Schwarzenegger is iconic, the score is legendary, and the story hits like a warhammer. More than sword & sorcery, it's cinematic mythmaking at its finest. Deserves way more praise.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/08/25

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Christopher W

The opening and closing sequences of this film are among the greatest visual storytelling; cinematic sequences, ever committed to celluloid. Minimal dialogue and tone perfect music that is expertly scored to the action, propel forward and close a tale of woe, great and tragic to behold. I love this movie. Yes, it has flaws, and a b movie feel, but it transcends this "trapping" by the sheer grandeur, production chops, and the bloody guts of it all. Do yourself a favour and watch it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/29/25

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Audience Member

One of the best fantasy/action films ever made, criminally underrated

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

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Sean M

Possibly the greatest film of all time 👍

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/18/25

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Leprechaun K

A classic. Well directed with great action sequences, and Schwarzenegger was born for this role.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/05/25

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thiago s

Filme legalzinho, o roteiro é bacaninha, gostei do arnold como bárbaro e gostei da cena dela ter matado um cobra gigante, e também da cena que o conan e seus amigos invadindo o local do vilão e matou todos os guardas, e outras cenas de ação boas, a história do filme não é interessante, mas as cenas de ação são muito boas e melhoram muito o filme, com tudo isso, eu recomendo esse filme.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/26/25

Full Review

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John Milius

Director

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Conan

James Earl Jones

Thulsa Doom

Sandahl Bergman

Valeria

Gerry Lopez

Subotai

Mako

The Wizard

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Knocking Out a Camel

3:00

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Beheading Thulsa Doom

2:57

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - To Hell With You!

2:06

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Battle On the Ruins

2:40

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Crucifixion

3:00

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Resurrection

2:51

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - Crazy Witch Sex

3:00

Conan the Barbarian: Official Clip - A Village Massacre

2:57

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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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