CONAN THE BARBARIAN

* * ½

STARRING: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman, James Earl JonesGerry Lopez, Mako, Ben Davidson, Sven Ole Thorsen, Max von Sydow, Valerie Quennessen, Cassandra Gaviola, William Smith

1982, 129 Minutes, Directed by: John Milius

Description: To avenge the murder of his parents, Conan tracks down the evil Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones) with the help of Queen Valeria (played by buff B-movie vixen Sandahl Bergman) and Subotai the Mongol (Gerry Lopez). — Amazon.com

Robert E. Howard's pulp Sword & Sorcery hero, well-known to generations of Marvel comic book readers, Conan The Barbarian (played perfectly by Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his earliest roles) makes it to the big screen.

No comic book stuff here: the film is dark and gloomy with excessive violence. Dealing with the massacre of Conan's parents when he was a child and his eventual revenge by beheading the man who were responsible (James Earl Jones, perhaps best known as voicing Darth Vader) and featuring an orgy scene and several bloody sword fights along the way, this film isn't really for kids - you'd be more comfortable with them watching this film's sequel, Conan the Destroyer, which is perhaps more in spirit to the popular comic books.

However, what makes it better than its sequel, spin-offs and various rip-offs are the excellent production designs by Ron (Alien) Cobb and the music by Basil (Robocop) Poledouris. But the film (directed by John Milius, co-screenwriter of Apocalypse Now) could have done with some tighter editing since it is overlong and tends to drag.

• Read our review of Conan the Barbarian on DVD.