The Reel Rejects - CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982) MOVIE REVIEW!! First Time Watching!

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Starting point is 00:01:30 Thank you to Babel for sponsoring this video. Let's do it, Andrew. All righty, guys. Well, for listening to Snap on Spotify, please rate this video because we just watched Conan the Barbarian, our first time watching. I knew nothing about this film other than it put Arnold on the map before he did Terminator.

Starting point is 00:01:54 And I got some thoughts about it. But Andy Gordon, I'm curious to hear yours first. I enjoyed it. I mean, there was some 80s pizzazz and some cheese into it, but I really enjoyed the script that John Milius and Oliver Stone, I think they played a lot of Arnold strengths. And again, we mentioned it a lot during the reaction. The scenes I most enjoyed with Arnold besides like showing his physicality and the masculinity,

Starting point is 00:02:23 of course, and the time of the 80s and all that were the scenes where he didn't have a lot of dialogue. and he was actually showing some of his acting chops. I know that's something that a lot of people make fun of, but I actually thought he was doing a pretty good job in this film. Like, I actually felt the pain and intensity that he went through. I mean, it was actually an interesting journey with his character when you really think about it. I mean, he lost his parents in such a brutal way,

Starting point is 00:02:46 and then he's a slave his whole life. He's the only one that had the determination to outlast all the other slaves, you know, because he was seeking revenge, and then he falls in love. I've thought, I like the hero's journey that we go on and the revenge journey as well. And again, I was very appreciative of Arnold's performance. Yeah, there were some lines and some dialogue where it's like, okay, it's Arnold being Arnold. And it's very cheesy and some one-liners.

Starting point is 00:03:11 But I still thought it was entertaining in terms of Arnold and his performance. There were definitely some weird lines and some ADR that was a little bit off. And some of the, on some of the choreographed fight scenes where I was like, wait, what happened? I didn't just kind of, I don't. even know what I just saw. But overall, I was thoroughly entertained. I just loved how whimsical the film was. I loved the fantasy. I loved the supernatural element. While also, it was an extremely a very dark film. He had a film with child slavery. And it was extremely violent. And just, again, it was a product of its time. And I just thought, I just really thought that John Millies and Oliver

Starting point is 00:03:54 Stone did a great job of just playing to Arnold's strengths. I mean, again, at this time, he wasn't the Arnold that we knew. And, you know, he was just, it was right before Terminator. And I believe Conan the destroyer was a couple of years after this. So I think they did a great job just catering to his strengths, not his weaknesses. And again, I can see why this led to bigger and better things for Arnold. But what did you think? I, uh, I'm, uh, I'm going to tell you my rating i give it like a 6.5 to 7 right now 6.5 i give it like a 6 for emotional investment maybe a 5 for emotional investment 7 for appreciation so i'm somewhere there and let's figure out as we unpack this together andrew gordon where i'm at because um yeah i mean i like the

Starting point is 00:04:53 that this movie has like it it's maybe maybe it takes itself a little too serious if anything because it takes itself very serious like it's a very serious film oh yeah and at times with this uh a certain whimsical sense i appreciated the patience around it i appreciated the lived-in qualities of like it just felt very lived in like you're just sort of it's almost equivalent to just sort of placing a camera at a moment in a fake time period. You know what I mean? Of how they did it. Like, they don't explain a lot. And a lot of it is just about watching the mood and visual language. And then when there is dialogue, it's kind of corny and cheesy. But a lot of it isn't dialogue. A lot of it is just watching stuff. Like, there are times where rituals are happening. And you don't really know what's going on.

Starting point is 00:05:51 then you kind of just have to sort of figure it out as you're going along with the journey. At times, they are explaining it, but they don't really rely on exposition. I think whenever Arnold speaks, it was kind of funny because whenever he had scenes with another actor, obviously this is earlier Arnold's stage and a big part of acting is listening and of what I'm from my understanding. It's not just, you know, depending on how an actor delivers a line to your scene partner, you will deliver it a different way because of how you're responding by listening. And so to me it was like, oh, this sounds like Arnold has rehearsed the lines and how he's going to say it. And I noticed that whenever Arnold was just kind of like lamenting to the gods or something like that,

Starting point is 00:06:36 he actually did a great job there. And sometimes it just sounded like a little bit corny when he was just talking about our characters. I appreciate that this was not some PG fantasy film that actually like when there was blood, It was squibb-squib-tastic, man. Squibby, squibs, squib everywhere. A lot of blood and gore. And that was surprising. And the practical effects were awesome.

Starting point is 00:07:01 Like, it surprised me with the fantastical side of things. Like James Earl Jones turning into a snake. I'm not sure what that equated to, but okay. I'll take it. Yeah, that was interesting. What was the purpose? Other than to show us that he can turn into a snake, I don't know what the purpose was behind that.

Starting point is 00:07:18 I don't want to get. involved in these deviant activities, nor engage in the fight, I'm snaking my way out of here. Just slither out of here. Yeah. But, you know, you talk about emotional investment, which I agree with you. There wasn't a ton in here for me. I did find myself emotionally invested, although she wasn't fully developed. I definitely feel like there could have been more development with, I believe,

Starting point is 00:07:41 was Sandal Bergman as the actress. I did really like her character. I would have liked, again, a little more development, but I did appreciate, you know, especially in 1982, this is not a time of female, or not as much. I mean, you had Ellen Ripley at the time. Sarah Connor had not yet come on the scene for another two years. I thought she was an extremely empowering female character, and I loved watching her inaction.

Starting point is 00:08:02 She wasn't a damsel in distress, which is such a pet peeve of mine. She was a badass. I was actually... Woke. It was woke for its time. Yes, very, very woke. I was actually, I was really distressed and sad when she, when, you know, I didn't see that coming, and I was actually sad when she...

Starting point is 00:08:20 You were bawling. I wouldn't go that far, but I... If you guys didn't watch your reaction, Andrew was crying his eyes. I definitely, no, but I definitely felt a certain sadness, and I... Pause the video to get his issues. We did, we did. But no, I actually felt something there, and I really liked her character. I was bummed.

Starting point is 00:08:37 Yeah, no, I mean, I would have... But like I said, if I had a nitpick with her character, I definitely would have liked a little more development. But I did actually rather enjoy... I mean, I agree with you that were, like, and I meant... I mentioned it too. There were definitely some lines of dialogue. Again, this is younger, earlier Arnold. I think he definitely improved as an actor as time went on.

Starting point is 00:08:58 And again, just catering to more of his strengths as an actor. He knows the limitations to what he can and cannot do. But I actually rather enjoyed the chemistry between him and Sandal Bergman. I thought they were fine together. So, I mean, I liked them. And I grew rather fond of their interaction. And I mean, I enjoyed. I think like there's a lot of technical scale stuff that I really appreciate about.

Starting point is 00:09:24 Like aesthetically, seeing like this large production of extras. Yeah. This feels like a harsh set to have been a part of. Like as big of a budget as they seem to have gotten in terms of, you know, the sets that were built. Yeah. The amount of locations and traveling. For sure. The costumes.

Starting point is 00:09:43 I was all excellent. it also still look like a grueling experience I'd imagine for the actors and I love seeing that harshness on display throughout the experience and yeah

Starting point is 00:09:59 no I liked her too she's probably my favorite character I thought James Earl Jones was actually very effective like when he's James Earl Jones and we all know he's a great actor and when he's as dialogue scenes I'm like he's menacing he's cunning

Starting point is 00:10:13 there isn't a lour so I really enjoyed watching him. And he's the best actor in the movie. He's undoubtedly the best actor in the movie. Yeah, and only, and excuse me, Max von Sito's only. He's still getting his voice back after bawling his eyes out. Yeah, exactly. Max Foncito's only in one scene, but I mean, I thought his acting was, yeah, he was fine. He was a little over to the top, but he was good too.

Starting point is 00:10:36 But, yeah, no, James Earl Jones, clearly the best actor. I mean, is theatrically and classically trained, so you could tell. I do think the movie, though, misses some marks. I do, I like, even though it's easy to chalk it up and go, it's the 80s and whatever. I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever. I could, I could say that. I still think on a storytelling level that it does miss some marks in terms of things that I do think could have probably been better developed where I feel like even today movies might have missed it, you know? And I, like, I've seen some movies that come out in the 70s at this age and I'm like, fucking amazing.

Starting point is 00:11:10 You know, I don't go like downgrade because of the 70s or downgare's 80s. It's a revenge movie, essentially, right? It's a revenge movie. And I do think that the movie kind of, like as much as I like this sort of dreamlike quality, this movie kind of inhabits, I do feel that as the journey is going, Conan is kind of, I don't really feel like we learn much about him via through his actions. And I get, it's one of supposed to be one of those characters, though, where it's not really dialogue-driven, it's more body-language-driven.

Starting point is 00:11:52 And usually in these kind of films, you kind of learn a little bit more about his character via through his actions, and I don't really feel like we did. Hello there, esteem viewer of the real rejects. I, Greg Alba, language connoisseur, and worldly gentlemen. I'm here to bestow upon you the secrets of Babel. an engaging language learning app designed for real-life conversations, offering quick, 10-minute lessons tailored by linguistic experts to effectively teach you a new language. It's conversation-based approach enhanced with speech recognition technology makes Babelworth trying for anyone looking to learn

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Starting point is 00:12:59 interactive lessons. I know the words I'm saying. And their speech recognition? It's like having a personal language butler ensuring every syllable is impeccably crisp that breaks yourselves for an offer of monumental proportions here's a special limited time deal for our viewers and listeners to get you started right now get 55% off your babble subscription but again only for our viewers at babble.com slash rejects 55% off at babble.com slash rejects spell b a bbbl.com slash rejects rules and restrictions may apply join me the gregg albin the adventure of language mastery at Babble. We shall not just learn no, nay. We shall conquer the world of communication. Or as they say in Spanish, communication. Communication. We're done with this app. I totally agree with you. I think they had one scene where we started to where he, the woman was brought to him. He kind of covered her up where she felt like she didn't want to be there and have, you know, he was going to have intercourse and do other things with him. And he covered her up as like, that was a good moment. He's being a gentleman.

Starting point is 00:14:04 You know what I mean? In such a intense atmosphere that she's in, too. I think, like, this is a good character moment for him. I would have liked more moments like that with his character, just developing him even more. But, yeah, it's hard to argue with you there. Because I love body language roles. I do. Sometimes are my absolute favorite.

Starting point is 00:14:22 And I do think that I didn't really feel, like, they had such a great setup. And I didn't really feel the catharsis of revenge, the conquest for revenge. Yeah. I think the movie loses its focus on that. Yeah. Because as much as I would rather have a patient deliberately paced film, at times I am like, this is a little too seriously slow. Yeah. Yeah, no, and there were times where, like, there were shots that were lingered that I love.

Starting point is 00:14:53 And then there were other times where, and I love, sometimes I love slow-paced films where it's building up to something. And I'm like, so appreciative. where you could like have the dread. Yeah, yeah, but then there were other times in this. And again, I still really enjoy this. But then there were other times it was like, all right, we need to get the pace. Yeah, just a little, just a little bit.

Starting point is 00:15:12 Yeah, yeah. Because, yeah, it's like I didn't really emit dread or tension. I wasn't really, and that's what I mean. Like, I wasn't really hooked into the characters. Yeah. Nor did I feel like a sense of suspense or tension or stakes even. and it like I thought like oh it's about to take a turn

Starting point is 00:15:34 when Arnold was captured he's getting his ass beat he's crucified I thought the movie was like oh okay even though it's an hour in I'll take it like yeah I'm getting hooked like James Earl Jones is monologue in and it's great

Starting point is 00:15:45 and I love how James Earl Jones is even saying like oh yeah I used to be in a steal not anymore that's her mom died? Okay like does it care I loved how dismissive he was of like I thought there I was going to have a turning point where I am really hooked.

Starting point is 00:16:03 I really liked a moment where I was emotion invested in an action scene was it was the break into the scene where Thulsa Doom is turning into a snake and like they're sneaking around to try to get like I thought that I was very hooked into that so like in the last I I'd say I really enjoyed the last hour more than the first hour for sure and even the finale like when Arnold has that speech I thought that was a really great speech like to hell with you excellent stuff. That was good. Well, like I said, one of my main complaints was I feel like characters were not fully developed. I said that especially about the female character that I really enjoyed, too. I still felt something there because I did enjoy the character, but I would have liked to know more about her. Other than some of, she had some great lines of dialogue. Like, I want to have my last breath be your, I forgot what it was, but something like that was a great line.

Starting point is 00:16:52 I also, too, you know, you mentioned some, that monologue that James Earl Jones had with Arnold, which was great. love, too, the way he was trying to manipulate him at the end there. That was some great. I thought he was the best part of this. Yeah. The other female character, again, just liked a little more development. But yeah, James Earl Jones, clearly the best actor and his character. I mean, he was menacing. He was threatening. I mean, obviously, you know that Arnold's going to defeat him in the end, but still, I always felt like there was, even though the characters could have been developed a little bit more, I always felt like there was tension and a threatening, you know, force there against Arnold with James Earl Jones

Starting point is 00:17:28 he's yeah when he was on screen I would say yeah whenever he was on screen but the overall presence of it and the music like you kept pointing it out and the music this movie relies a lot on its music and the music

Starting point is 00:17:45 is one of the stars of this film it really carries the experience a long way on this journey well it adds to the mood and the atmosphere for sure and just just enhances just what you're feeling and seeing at the same time. So Basilpaw doors, like, I mean, did one of my, as mentioned earlier, did one of my all-time favorite scores with Robocop and just hit another home run out of the park with

Starting point is 00:18:08 this one. Yeah. So overall, man, I mean, I'm kind of like, uh, somewhere in the, I would say like 6.57, somewhere in there, too, with me. I'm probably like a 6 to a 6.5 on this movie. Yeah, I'll admit, like, you know, it's Conan the Barbarian. I've heard Arnold talk about how impactful this role. was for him. Everyone's heard Conan the Barbarian forever. I literally knew nothing about Conan the

Starting point is 00:18:31 barbarian. So I was just curious to go and blind in the experience. I didn't know if it was going to be like this cheesy fast-paced 80s rompest. This was actually not the experience I was expecting. And then when I was adjusting to the mood of it, I was like, oh, yeah, I actually, that's kind of cool that I could take this movie seriously. And then I found myself kind of just like not really caring that much and and when that's happening uh that that is a big part of my viewing experiences like my entertainment level is going down and i'm like really using my brain to stay focused because there's a camera pointed at me right now uh and that was and that's when i know that i'm having a bit of a hard time like connecting and and if i can't connect i was

Starting point is 00:19:17 like, I'm probably never going to watch this movie again. I mean, overall, like, there's enough for me to, uh, appreciate it with my mind. And if there's not enough in the heart, though, it's just not for me, you know, at the end of the day, it's not. And, uh, and but no, I mean, Arnold is like, man, I love so many of his movies, though. Yeah, well, all the way. That's his best movie ever. End of days. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:19:43 Collateral damage. Like, are you naming on this mess? This is the best. movies he's done junior oh my god stop he's made great movies man batman and robin killing gungther hercules in new york hercules in new york where he was named by the way his name and that was arnold strong not schwarzenegger that's too big of a word name man yeah exactly i'm curious let us know in the comments do you want to see craig and i do conan the destroyer i want to do it no uh by the way that's film fun fact because of that film james cameron had to delay shooting the

Starting point is 00:20:17 Terminator, I believe it was 9 to 10 months. What was when we had on Ron Tomatoes? Let's look at it before we go. That'd be fun to see. What are you guessing? I'm going to go with 50. Yeah, let's go 64%. 64.

Starting point is 00:20:30 What do you think the audience score, though, is? I'm going to go 88%. All right. Time to find out. Well, what's your guess? Don't go like the... I'm going to say on the critics score... I said 64.

Starting point is 00:20:43 I feel like there'd be like nostalgia critics. Yeah. So I'm going to say 70. Okay. On the audience. I said 88. I'm going to lean 85. Okay.

Starting point is 00:20:58 Let's see. All right. That is the 2011. 82. You want 82. Oh, damn. You were close as shit. Damn.

Starting point is 00:21:07 Well, you said 70. We were in the mid. I leaned in the 70 percentile. It's in the 60s for critics. Oh, and the audience score is not that high. I said. What did I say? What did I say?

Starting point is 00:21:19 88. I said 85. Oh, damn. You were close. The audience score is not that high. I thought it'd be higher. I thought it'd be way higher. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:21:26 Because this movie is just so talked about and so beloved. Oh, fascinating. That's funny. That's one of the things I said at the top of tech. It may take itself too seriously for some. Yeah. Your film of better formers. They've seen conventions.

Starting point is 00:21:40 It's full of quotable Schwarzenegger lines and gritty eyes. He barely talks in the movie. Quarible, Schwarzenegger lines. What are the quotable lines? I disagree than to hell with you. Other than that one, what are the quotable shorts andaker lines in this movie? I'd have to.

Starting point is 00:21:54 They're all sluts. They're all quotable. That was a funny line. They're all quotable. You killed my mother. You killed my father. Let's see what Conan the Destroyer has. Oh, God.

Starting point is 00:22:08 It's probably going to be so low. I'm going to go with like 15%. Yeah, that's really bad. Because I've heard from my dad and other people say they hate them. Can't be sequel. Damn, it's too bad. Will Chamberlain? Different director and everything.

Starting point is 00:22:24 Oh, did you see who else is in it? So, yeah, this one is silly and fun. Who else is in it? Scroll down. He's from Batman, Tracy Walter. That's Jack Nicholson's main henchman, Bob the Goon. Nice. Let's see what the Jason Mamoa one has.

Starting point is 00:22:43 I'm going to go 11%. I remember that got such bad ratings. Oh, 24. It's kind of close to the district. It's a memo and no facial hair. It looks really fun. Relentless, gory violence. So clearly the, oh, okay.

Starting point is 00:22:58 So clearly the scores kept getting better. Yeah, so the best one is definitely the first article board. That's for sure. Oh, Stephen Lang? Damn, I love him. They say this one's really bloody. That kind of sounded fun. Well, let us know in the comments and Greg might consider which one or consider the Jason Mamo one any day.

Starting point is 00:23:20 All righty guys. Thank you so much. Thanks, guys. We'll see you all soon.

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The Reel Rejects - CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982) MOVIE REVIEW!! First Time Watching!

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