Red Sonja (1985) Reviews

• Fun romp despite some wooden performances

  Sjhm2011-11-26

  This is Saturday afternoon fodder, and it is great fun. Brigitte Nielsen plays Red Sonja a little as though she is reading her lines off hidden cue cards, in fact the entire cast appears to have received the script on the day they began shooting, but this is still great comic book stuff all the same. It lacks the fancy CGI that we have come to expect, and is, in my opinion, actually the better for this lack. The set pieces all work well, and even the very tentative love story is not a major distraction. Settle back to enjoy skimpy skirts and lots of sword play, years before Xena the Warrior Princess hit the small screen.

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• Conan III

  Blueghost2010-03-25

  It's been ages since I've seen this film, and it holds about as much interest for me as when I first saw it. It's entertaining on a certain level, and holds some interest. Some minor notes before progressing with my comments; Kalidor in reality is Conan's alternate name. That is to say Conan and Kalidor are one in the same person as per Robert Howard's authorship. Ergo Laurentis casting Arnie in the role was most likely deliberate, though Governor Schwarzenegger and his then agent may have had the wool pulled over their eyes and had this little fact kept from them when approached for the role. In fact and essence you're seeing "Conan the Barbarian III", in spite of the Red Sonja title. But, enough of that. Can Bridgette Neilson act? Yeah, sure. Is she Oscar material? Err... no. Was she right for the role? Probably. How about the other roles? Me, I think Sandahl Bergman rejoining the Conan cast as a lesbian queen was a fine choice. And pardon my prurient interest, but I think she's hotter as a brunette with short hair than as a natural blonde :) The film is what it is; a thinly veiled knockoff of the first two Conan films, though again, it really IS a third (albeit unofficial) installment of the "franchise", so to speak. The sets and art direction for a moderately budgeted sequel are actually fairly impressive, though one gets the sense that there's some slight of hand being used to mask budgetary limitations. And, believe it or not, it works after a fashion. There's the usual "we can't afford to costume real life size armies, so we'll allude to armies and battles in dialog, than actually show them" thing going on. But there're enough costumed bodies to get the gist across that our antagonist does command vast hosts to conquer the Hyborean world. Other technical aspects; it's not a poorly shot film, but the cinematography doesn't recapture Milius' touch with the first Conan film. But, then again, there is a kind of artistic professionalism that comes across in this movie that can be admired after a fashion. The one thing that strikes me visually, other than the elaborate and well designed costumes and set pieces, is the fact that even though the cinematography is respectable, there's no real "theme" to it. The shots are fairly static, but well composed, yet there's no underlying dynamic to them. In essence the cast and crew were told to do their best with the material they were given, and they do so in spades. This isn't to say the film is outstanding, because it isn't. But everyone puts their best foot forward in a film that's pretty much all- business. That is to say it was given a nice clean professional coat, but lacked a certain integrity that comes across in the script. We are, in fact and essence, watching Robert Howard's feminized version of Conan do her thing and not much else. What could have improved this film? Lots of things, I suppose. A bigger budget for one to actually stage some large battle sequences as Sandahl's character goes about conquering the world. Neilson does her double-Y chromosome thing as an Arnie imitation, but is perhaps off par by a stroke or two in terms of performance. Arnie does his thing, and Sandahl does hers (she actually gives a respectable performance). Reyes Junior is who he is, and does an adequate job as a spoiled brat. The truth of the matter is that this film was made in the 80s, when female marketed films weren't seen as big money makers, and so it was budgeted as such; i.e. it wasn't expected to make lots of money, but financed to put on a good show. Red Sonja is to the Conan films as Supergirl was to the Superman films. All in all it's another De Laurentis production. Take it for what it is, interesting and entertaining popcorn fare.

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• Sword-and-Sorcery epic with female lead accompanied briefly by a He-man taking on multiple adventures

  ma-cortes2011-01-17

  Thrilling and spectacular movie full of imagination and fantasy that introduces us a brave heroine , female counterpart to Conan , and appointed to juvenile public and full-blooded adventure aficionados. Sword-and-sorcery saga with silly action , spectacular images and fantastic scenes with witchcraft and necromancy . This is a tale of fantasy , magic , imagination, blood and wizardly set in a mythical primitive world of barbarisms. This is an amusing adventure saga inspired on Robert E Howard's pulp tale , it stars Brigitte Nielsen ( by that time married Silvester Stallone) who join forces with the mythic and valiant warrior Kalifor ( a super-swordsman Arnold Schwarznegger in a brief guest spot), a Hyborian Age hero , a Conan-alike , taking on heinous forces of devil and evil minions . A nasty sorceress kills the keeper (Janet Agren) of a powerful green bulb that gives her great power , but Red Sonja is sister of the keeper and seeks vengeance on villainess Gedren who also massacred her family . A selfish little boy prince named Tarn (Ernie Reyes Jr) and his underling Falkon (Paul L. Smith), whose kingdom was wiped out by Gedren soon joins them . They undergo on a perilous trip to find the talisman , confronting magicians , spectres and dangerous adventures. Our heroine fights the evil hoodlums of brutal Queen Gedren (Sandahl Bergman) who seeks the total power and leading a vibrant ending. This exciting film packs noisy action, fantasy, adventure, witchery , and rip-roaring fights . Dumb images , unintentionally hilarious and lots of amusement and entertainment . Made on a fairly big scale with spectacular set design and glimmer photography . Quite budget for an Italian/Netherland/US co-production and lavishly produced by Dino De Laurentiis , her daughter Francesca and Jose Lopez Rodero. This entertaining picture contains frenetic action , tension , necromancy, and moving action scenes . The film is full of freaks and bemusing situations ; it is quite entertaining because being a laborious and intriguing adventure tale with some humor . Colorful cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno , Federico Fellini's usual . Very derivative special effects , grand production design by Danilo Donati ,and matte paintings by Albert Whitlock and Emilio Ruiz del Rio . Impressive musical score composed and conducted by the master Ennio Morricone. The motion picture is middling directed by Richard Fleischer . He's an expert director , with adventure classics (Vikings, 20.000 leagues under sea) and noir cinema (Narrow margin,Clay pigeons,Trapped). The film will appeal to fantasy buffs with enough action to make it worth looking in on . In other words, it seem likely Conan enthusiasts and juvenile viewers will be delighted because thrills, action and adventures are brilliantly presented and edited to offer the maximum impact. Rating : 5,5 ; it's an old-fashioned B film on an acceptable scale and basically enjoyable because of it.

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• Laptop Critics Don't Know Jack

  milsorgen2010-02-19

  Personally this is one of my all time favorite movies since I was very young. That being said I had not seen this movie in over a decade before seeing it on the shelf at the grocery store where I purchased it. I had just watched the two Conan movies a few nights prior and I sat down with my lady to watch an old favorite. To me this movie was infinitely more enjoyable than the Conan movies. And even as an adult some 20 years later with a much wider and esoteric taste in movies, music and games; I found this movie a blast and I'm not going to say it's a 10 and nor am I going to play the role of lap top critic. I'm just going to say this: In a world of horrible blockbusters like GI Joe and Transformers I feel Red Sonja was money and time well spent.

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• Reminds me of the good-old Drive-In movie days.

  jjflynn2003-12-05

  This movie gets better with age. If you've got a sense of humor and don't need Industrial Light and Magic special effects, the combination of actors (all playing off the winsome Brigette Nielson) makes this a fun movie to see again...or for the first time. It's probably also the movie that got Arnold in hot water during the "recall."

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