Movie Review: Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Conan the Barbarian (1982) co-written and directed by John Milius based on the character created by Robert E. Howard

The early life of Conan the Cimmerian (Arnold Schwarzenegger) was brutal. His village was attacked when he was a pre-teen, with his mother and father being killed in front of Conan. He was then taken off to slavery. He wound up being trained as a gladiator, though soon enough he broke out on his own, seeking his own fate. He remembers the two-headed snake and sun emblem of the group that attacked his home, Conan hunts for them. He is out for revenge. He's joined by an archer and thief named Subotai (Gerry Lopez) and a female brigand name Valeria (Sandahl Bergman). They raid the Tower of Serpents in the next town they come to, putting the trio on the trail to a confrontation with Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), the leader of the snake cult and the destroyer of Conan's home town.

The movie delves into the broad world of Conan, with travels to many towns and cities. Conan is a rough character, fighting with brutality and living without morals. He'll have sex at the drop of a hat with any willing woman, including partner-in-crime Valeria. Schwarzenegger embodies the hulking brutality of Conan. The action is exciting and moves at a good pace. The movie is entertaining as a no-holds-barred swords and sorcery epic. 

Recommended, but this is a hard-R rated movie, not for kids or the squeamish.