Conan the Barbarian

Name: Conan the Barbarian
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Released: 1982-03-16
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Sandahl Bergman, Ben Davidson, Cassandra Gava

1982 | 130 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Action

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

People are still talking about it and it was a solid box office hit, though it had middling reviews (67% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for fantasy fans and action fans.
The mood: Exciting.
The pace: Fast-moving, at 2 hr 10 min.
What might put you off: Rated R: meant for adults.

A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria and Subotai. The group comes upon King Osric, who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
67% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
AwardsBelow par
1 win and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerStrong
$69 million worldwide on a $20 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 510K people sought it out in the past year