- Directed by Ruggero Deodato
- March 20, 1987 (US) / April 24, 1987 (Italy)
Twin barbarians seek revenge on the warlord who massacred their tribe and enslaved them when they were children.
There’s a lot packed into The Barbarians. Not that it’s all good but as knockoffs go, this is one of the more densely packed. The story itself follows a roughly similar trajectory to that of Conan the Barbarian but with TWO Conans. The biggest difference really is that the heroes Kutchek and Gore (Peter and David Paul) are not on a deep philosophical journey. This is a fun adventure created to cash in on the brothers’ physiques more than any possible talent they may have had.
Our story moves from their youth to their adulthood yet nobody other than the brothers appears to age. We have a few characters that show in the opener and continue into the main story with nary a wrinkle or hint of crow’s feet having appeared in the many years between the two. There are very cheap ways to add some age or project youth with none used here.
The Barbarians come into conflict with the evil Kadar (Richard Lynch) when he attacks their people to steal a powerful jewel housed in the navel of their queen. True story! A prophecy or some junk says they’ll kill him but Kadar being evil yet with a code of honor had promised not to harm them so instead his evil sorceress China (Sheeba Alahani) creates a scenario where the pair will kill each other. Keeping your word on a technicality is not really keeping your word, but this movie doesn’t get that deep.
As actors the Paul Brothers were not great. They are entertaining to watch because they’re clearly having fun on the screen living their dream but beyond that not much else. It’s brothers doing brotherly things with my guess being their actions on screen just thinly veiled versions of themselves. It is a wise move to play to their strengths or place them in something where they can be comfortable. It works to create a pair of likeable heroes.
With them through much of the film is Eva LaRue as Kara/Ismene. Watch the movie to know why she has two names. She’s pretty much the standard female sidekick for the day but much like the other actors is completely different than everyone else. While Ismene she’s often a disbelieving ‘80s woman. She has no idea how she found herself in this situation. And that’s all I have to say about that.
The Pauls are much more in line in performance with Sheeba Alahani playing China who is hamming it up, but it’s a good kind of ham. She’s exaggerated expressions and gestures as the character works her own mechanizations to do evil things. She is perhaps the only one in the movie that genuinely understood the assignment.
Richard Lynch was one of the great character villain actors of his day. An unsung great of genre film and television. He is in a completely different performance compared to the Paul Brothers. He is an honorable evil trying to craft a character of intelligence and depth and elevate his lines.
Under used in all this is Michael Berryman as Dirtmaster. The actor has been a genre staple for longer than I’ve been alive. I don’t think he gets a line of dialogue in this. At least nothing that can be recalled. He simply follows around the evil sorceress and reacts. If you hire Michael Berryman use him! He is more than a strange looking face. The man has talent.
This is not the most expensive film ever, but it’s well produced and a good directorial effort by Ruggero Deodato. It doesn’t look like the producers skimped on the sets or the effects. Possibly because they don’t reach beyond their grasp. Things are hidden with smoke or interesting camera angles helping to dress up this movie.
Certainly not a great epic but it is thrilling and fun and doesn’t think it’s something greater than it is. The varying performances of the actors give it an occasionally uneven tone. And that’s to say nothing about the tribe of people that the barbarians are from-the Ragnicks-that come off like Renfaire rejects.
Their clothing is a mix of bright and colorful and just this side of Halloween caveman. Me thinks they simply raided a costume department rather than went with a general feel for the group. These are wondering people who have a magic jewel that’s gonna confer a great power or whatever. It’s just an excuse for the barbarians to knock heads and fight. Dialogue is dumb and the jokes are broad but they still make you smile and get the characters across without feeling like nobody is trying. These people may not have made anything great but they were certainly giving their best effort and sometimes that’s enough to show through.
Perhaps my favorite sequence is the giant creature that they encounter. An interesting throwback to any number of adventure features from the ‘70s which would’ve been very fresh in the minds of filmmakers and viewers. Mix that with the ruby that’s been put into a snake stone snake head, and this comes close to being like those adventure films that this draws some inspiration from. All it needed was Doug McClure.
I found myself enjoying The Barbarians. I had a good time watching because it hit that adventure spot and tickled my love of trashy films. For cult movie fans or B Movie aficionados there’s plenty to enjoy here, but not the more general audience.
