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It takes something special to make you forget that Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a great actor and this movie is the first one to teach me that. It is also the first movie that I became obsessed with. God knows I ran that VHS copy ragged back in the day.
Though it's supposed to be an adaptation of the Robert E. Howard character, the movie is more in line with director John Milius' particular style and thus it stands out as its own thing. Normally deviations or changes from the source material can hurt a film if not properly applied but Milius' almost survivalist mentality really adds a unique flavor to the Cimmerian brute we know and love as Conan.
Some would say that his casting choices were superficial (he cast bodybuilders, surfers, and football players among others) as he chose people for their looks rather than worrying about their varying acting prowess. I say he opted to make a truly visual sword and sandal epic. The dialogue is minimal and the story unfolds on the strength of epic visuals and a rousing musical score instead. The results are epic, to say the least.
James Earl Jones as Darth Vader's voice? No thanks, I'll take him as Conan arch-nemesis Thulsa Doom, an ancient demi-god leading a snake cult and the source of Conan's lifetime strife. Arnold as the Terminator? Cool, but I'll take him as a warrior born out of circumstance and destined to be a king. Give me the growth of a hero, give me a love interest that changes his perception, give me wizard's that guide him on his path, give me an array of villains to keep him busy, and give me hours of adventure.
I absolutely love this movie. Attempts to make something akin to it have failed, sequels disappointed, and we've yet to have an adaptation of Conan that is 100% true to the Howard stories but make no mistake this is no space filler. Even if we had a great adaptation of the original source material, Milius' version will always stand on its own as spectacular.
