As a kid, I saw Conan the Destroyer long before I saw Conan the Barbarian. As an adult, I now realize that my dad was ok with watching this with me, but clearly did not want to sit through the orgy scene in Conan the Barbarian with his young son! While most people seem to prefer Conan the Barbarian, I have always liked Conan the Destroyer better.
How to Download Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer was released on June 29, 1984. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice.
The Movie Review
I was really into sword and sorcery stuff as a kid so that is why movies like this and other 80s classics like Beast Master clicked with me. Conan is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most famous roles and I feel like Conan the Destroyer feels more like a typical Arnold action movie than its predecessor does.
The Plot of Conan the Destroyer
The plot here is typical 80s fantasy stuff and I think that it holds up very well to this day. Conan and his friend Malak who is a thief end up being hired by Queen Taramis of Shadizar and she has a dangerous quest for him. Conan wants no part of this, but she tells him that she can bring back his lost love if he does so he agrees.
The Quest for the Heart of Ahriman
This quest is far from simple. Conan needs to take Princess Jehnna on a quest to find the Heart of Ahriman which will then lead them to the real treasure, the Horn of Dagoth. Dagoth is some kind of God and this horn will lead to his resurrection. The captain of the Queen’s guard, Bombaata is sent with them. It is so awesome by the way how basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain plays Bombaata.
Memorable Characters
They eventually pick up an old wizard friend of Conan’s, Akiro and a powerful warrior called Zula (played by Grace Jones) and this makes up the party that is embarking on this dangerous quest. There is treachery, monsters to fight, and lots of cool 80s-style fantasy adventure. Conan the Destroyer is very much a product of its time, but I mean that in a very affectionate way.
The costumes are fun, the action is great and this is just always a fun time for me. Now that I think about it, Grace Jones as Zula was probably one of the first strong and powerful female leads, I saw in a movie which is cool. I do think that the whole cast is great and as a kid I got such a kick when Malak jumped on the back of some guy’s horse and stabbed him in the side and to this day I have no idea why I loved that part so much!
Nostalgia and Personal Preference
I can fully respect why some people much prefer Conan the Barbarian, but I will always like Conan the Destroyer better. Yes, a huge reason for this is probably nostalgia and the fact I saw this first, but I still think that this holds up as a good, fun fantasy action movie.
It has a bit more comedic value, not that it is straight-up funny or anything like that. However, now that I think about it, the fact that the first movie is much more “serious” may be why those who watched these in the right order prefer that one. I have this on Blu-Ray and it is ok, but I would love it if they went all out and gave this a full 4K restoration. I love this movie and highly recommend you watch it no matter if it is for the first time or the first time in a very long time!
