Conan the Barbarianmay be one of the best fantasy films of the 1980s, but that’s not to say it’s the ideal interpretation of the titular character. Widely regarded as one ofArnold Schwarzenegger’s best action movies,Conan the Barbarianhas become an icon emblematic of 1980s cinema. Thanks in large part to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s physically imposing presence,Conan the Barbariansucceeded in making its protagonist one of the most memorable heroes inthe fantasy movie genre.
There have been a few other attempts to bring Conan to life whether it be in animated or live-action form, but no film or show stands out quite as well as Arnold Schwarzenegger’sConanmovies. In some ways, it’s seen as a standard for futureConan the Barbarianadaptations. But while Schwarzenegger certainly had the muscle mass to play Conan, there are certain aspects of the film’s portrayal of the character that don’t live up to what’s in the books. So even thoughConan the Barbarianis a great movie, it’s a very imperfect take on Conan as a character.
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan The Barbarian Movies Aren’t Accurate To The Character
The Conan Movies Leave Out Certain Elements Of Conan’s Character
Conan the Barbariandoes a good job of crafting a beautiful, fully-realized interpretation of Hyboria from Robert E. Howard’s books, but stops short of creating a version of Conan that perfectly honors the source material. Arguably the most noticeable difference is Conan’s intelligence. While the movies do show him studying philosophy and depict him as more nuanced than the standard, fantasy movie barbarian,he doesn’t seem to share the quiet ingenuity of the character from the original novels. Conan wasn’t just a brooding warrior who overwhelmed his foes with sheer brute force, he was extremely cunning and tactical in his approach to fighting.
Another element of the character that didn’t make the translation from the page to the screen was Conan’s agility. Robert E. Howard frequently hyped up the Cimmerian’s speed in battle by comparing him to a panther. His muscular frame wasn’t a disadvantage in any way, as Conan was far quicker and more agile than one might expect from someone with his level of muscle mass. TheConan the Barbarianmovies with Arnold Schwarzeneggerdo well to portray him as a force to be reckoned with, albeit without the remarkable speed of the book character.
Ultimately,Conan the Barbarianis a spectacular fantasy movie, complete with several of the best tropes of the genre: sorcery, swordfighting action, fearsome monsters for its hero to fight, and an entertaining story. It has fun Easter eggs that pay home to Howard’s work, but one thing it never tries to be is a faithful deep-dive into the Conan character and his history.
There Still Hasn’t Been A Truly Accurate Version Of Conan The Barbarian
Will An Accurate Conan Movie Or Show Ever Happen?
In addition to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s appearances as the Cimmerian, there have been a few othermovie and TV adaptations of Conan’s story- and yet, none of them are able to nail down the character. As kid-friendly cartoons, Conan’s animated shows, for instance, were naturally in no position to portray Conan as the ruthless and menacing warrior that he is in the books. As for Jason Momoa’s Conan, he’s admittedly more accurate to Robert E. Howard’s books than the 1980s films - at least in terms of his physical attributes and intelligence - but he lacks the more barbaric qualities of Conan’s anti-hero persona.
The unapologetic brutality, panther-like quickness, and cunning nature of the Cimmerian combine to make him one of the complex and interesting characters in fantasy
It’s disappointing, but even after all these years, there still hasn’t been a movie or show to accurately capture who Conan is as a character. Each contains elements of Howard’s vision, but can’t complete the picture. The unapologetic brutality, panther-like quickness, and cunning nature of the Cimmerian combine to make him one of the complex and interesting characters in fantasy, and until all of these nuances are present in a live-action or animated story, the wait for a properConan the Barbarianadaptation will go on.
