Overrated

good back-story, and good acting

Absolutely brilliant

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Queen Canary (Virginia Bryant) is captured by Kadar (Richard Lynch), who wears black so everybody can see he's the vilain. Two little boys from her people become slaves and later grow to become very strong men. Kutchek (Peter Paul) and Gore (David Paul) decide they'll rescue the queen better late than never, so about 20 years after her capture, the rescue team is on the way! Canary instructs the twins to get a certain magic stone first, and the quest for the ruby involves the usual challenges, from a tavern brawl to fighting a dragon in the swamp. Fortunately, they also meet a girl who does the brain work for them (Eve LaRue)...I watched most Italian barbarian movies of the 1980s, from "Ator" to "Conquest", but this one I missed somehow which is a shame because with a bigger budget than those, it looks fairly good, and since it fortunately doesn't take itself seriously, it is an entertaining entry in the genre. Realising the limited acting skills of the muscular twins in the lead roles, director Deodato changed the direction of the movie from violent action flick to comedy which was a wise move. Except for a few small gory bits (e.g. cutting off a finger to get a ring), you wouldn't think this is from the same director who shot 'Cannibal Holocaust'.

This is a B movie. While that is true it is done with a lot of good comedy. Yes the acting is wanting with some of the characters, hell most of the characters, but it is a pretty entertaining flick. The twins seem to realize that they are not good actors and ham it up to the max. The special effects suck but that is also some the charm, although the dragon looks like a Muppet on steroids. . The guy who teaches the twins to fight is a real freaky looking and ugly, I hope some of it was make up. Poetic justice is of course served to all the bad guys that survived the first attack on the caravan. Like I stated I found this to be an entertaining and funny movie.

What makes The Barbarians awesome? I don't know where to begin. Perhaps one need look no further than the cast list. Look at those names! Gore! Canary! Dirtmaster! Fat Woman! Ghedo - Strongman! If those names alone don't make you want to see this movie, then you should just stick a finger down your throat in the hopes that you can purge yourself of whatever vile substance it is that prevents you from being awesome. This movie is frankly so soaking wet with kickassery, that I want to describe every bit of it. Instead I'll give a summary of the opening action sequence. An utterly synthtastic soundtrack chimes and this is where the film dares you not to conjure the image of a hair metal band on horseback with each master wearing neon spandex and brandishing swords of steel. The narrator tells us that this is an age in which man, woman and child are ruled by the sword! He says that this is a world of savage splendor. One imagines a time when upon delivering a newborn baby, the doctor would cut the umbilical chord with a battle ax. We see just how savage this world is when a traveling band of entertainers are set upon by jealous brutes, intent on expressing their intolerance for fruity circus folk. But these barbaric bullies are in for a rude awakening. It turns out that this is a time when theater geeks fight back. One after the other, the fiendish foes go down as they learn they are no match for the likes of the fire-breather and some Pee-Wee-Herman-looking guy who throws an explosive crystal ball. They even pull out an awesome crossbow that fires some kind of horse-tripper. And it does just that. I could go on, but I'm about to have a glorious orgasm simply from recalling the awesomeness. Anyway, you can watch the whole thing on youtube.

I have to agree that this isn't a movie you should watch expecting to see Conan or something. This totally belongs in Mystery Science Theater 3000, and should be forever immortalized as the timeless piece that it is. It has always been one that I've enjoyed and gotten many laughs from. The storyline is ridiculous and the acting is atrocious, but it all lends itself to the humor. I think that at the time the idea that weight lifters could act had some appeal. Look at Arnold, he did well for himself, but I'm not so sure if these two ever returned to the movie business. So take this movie with a grain of salt, and then maybe a shot chased by a lemon wedge, because it is excellent entertainment and very funny if you keep in mind just how silly it is.