Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Brutal
- campy
- boisterous
- irreverent
- cult movie night
- retro fantasy marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film visually lavish and enjoyably energetic but undermined by simplistic writing and loud performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The twin protagonists bellow, fight, and trade broad comic energy within an openly pulpy sword-and-sorcery adventure.
Kutchek and Gore seek vengeance against Kadar after the massacre of their tribe and their childhood captivity.
The film is noted for intricate costuming, elaborate sets, and a glossy fantasy presentation despite its inexpensive production.
Peter and David Paul play the inseparable twin barbarians Kutchek and Gore, with their sibling interplay central to the film's appeal.
Films like The Barbarians, and why
Conan the Barbarian
shared sword and sorcery adventure, revenge quest, muscular heroes, and flamboyant fantasy spectacle
The Beastmaster
shared barbarian fantasy setting, action-driven mythology, colorful villains, and pulpy adventure tone
Red Sonja
shared 1980s fantasy action, comic-book heroics, practical spectacle, and unpretentious camp
Deathstalker
shared cult sword and sorcery traditions, eccentric world-building, violent quests, and playful B-movie energy
Movie Details
- Director
- Ruggero Deodato
- Release Date
- 1987-03-20
- Runtime
- 87 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (159)
Cast
- Peter Paul
- David Paul
- Richard Lynch
- Eva LaRue
- Virginia Bryant
- Sheeba Alahani
- Michael Berryman
- George Eastman
- Franco Pistoni
- Raffaella Baracchi
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Barbarians about?
- Twin barbarian survivors turn a warlord’s destruction of their tribe into a boisterous sword-and-sorcery revenge rampage.
- What is The Barbarians like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Barbarians as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The Barbarians violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Barbarians as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Barbarians?
- Critics broadly found the film visually lavish and enjoyably energetic but undermined by simplistic writing and loud performances.
- Which films are like The Barbarians?
- Films with a similar feel include Conan the Barbarian, The Beastmaster, Red Sonja, and Deathstalker.
- How long is The Barbarians?
- The Barbarians runs 87 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Barbarians?
- In United States, The Barbarians streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
