Conan the Barbarian marked a classic entry into the fantasy action genre, but there is an overlooked trilogy that is perfect for fans looking for something similar. Conan the Barbarian is mostly remembered as one of the movies that helped to launch Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie career. However, the movie remains a cult classic after all of these years because of what it brings to the specific fantasy genre known affectionately as “swords and sorcery” movies.
Conan makes for a larger-than-life and instantly iconic movie hero, with Schwarzenegger doing a great job bringing author Robert E. Howard’s character to the big screen. He also exists inside a thrilling world filled with other fearsome and powerful warriors, dark magic, and fantastic creatures. There are many other beloved movies in the fantasy genre, like Jason and the Argonauts and Excalibur, but there is a whole trilogy of largely forgotten movies that Conan the Barbarian fans need to see.
Why Conan The Barbarian Fans Should Check Out The Beastmaster Movies
The Beastmaster Movies Shine As Pure Sword And Sorcery Fun
The Beastmaster movies are a franchise popular within the fantasy genre, but have faded more from memory in comparison to other movies like Conan the Barbarian. However, the unique and fun movies offer the same mix of mysticism and action that helped make Conan the Barbarian such a long-running favorite. Even elements of the plot will sound familiar to Conan the Barbarian fans, with this heroic warrior on a quest for revenge.
Dar is the orphaned son of a king who was rescued from ᴀssᴀssination as a baby and raised by an adoptive father. He also learned that he has the mystical power to communicate with animals, making them his allies on his dangerous quest. When marauding villains invade his village and kill his loved ones, Dar sets out on an epic quest to get revenge, encountering many threats and making new allies along the way.
Like the Conan the Barbarian stories, The Beastmaster movies are big tales of good versus evil within these exciting worlds of magic and warriors. They both draw from the pulpy beginnings of the sword-and-sorcery genre, leaning into the big character archetypes in a very effective way. The heroes are noble and strong, the villains are ruthless and evil, and the love interests are beautiful and often in need of rescue.
The Beastmaster movies also have the same aesthetics that make the Conan the Barbarian movies so much fun. The budgets are not huge, and the effects have grown dated, but the cheesiness of these qualities has become a welcoming calling card and gives the movies a distinct nostalgic feel that can often be more satisfying than some of the CGI used in more modern fantasy action movies. While the legacy of The Beastmaster movies isn’t as strong as Conan the Barbarian, they sit comfortably as terrific genre movies perfect for revisiting.
Dar Is One Of The Best Sword and Sorcery Heroes Of The 1980s
The Beastmaster’s Hero Holds Unique Powers
While Conan the Barbarian is an instantly recognizable sword and sorcery hero, Dar from The Beastmaster doesn’t get nearly enough attention. In fact, the Halloween episode of Community, “Introduction to Statistics”, features the out-of-touch Pierce dressed up like Dar for a costume party, but no one gets the outdated reference. However, Dar deserves to be far more than the punchline of a joke, as he is one of the best fantasy heroes to come out of the 1980s.
While Conan and other heroes of the genre are strong and stoic warriors, often on solo missions for revenge, Dar shows himself to be a more compᴀssionate hero.
At the center of what makes Dar stand out in fantasy movies of the 1980s is his unique powers. His ability to communicate with animals adds a more interesting aspect to the hero that differs from Conan the Barbarian and Kull the Conqueror’s warrior strength and fighting ability. While Dar possesses those skills, adding in his bond with animals gives the audience something new that stands out. However, the abilities also speak to his character.
While Conan and other heroes of the fantasy movie genre are strong and stoic warriors, often on solo missions for revenge, Dar shows himself to be a more compᴀssionate hero. It is true that he also seeks vengeance, but his sensitivity towards the creatures he communicates with showcases a softer and more vulnerable side to this hero. It also shows that he is not some lone warrior, but a hero who surrounds himself with allies who help him on his journey.
There have been attempts to bring Conan the Barbarian back into the mainstream with remakes and retellings, but The Beastmaster and the heroic Dar are perfect for updates. More fans of the sword and sorcery genre need to discover these underrated gems and allow The Beastmaster to rise in popularity and for Dar to have his day.
