Conan the Barbarian

Conan the Barbarian is currently streaming in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Disney Plus, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. 2,836 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Arnold Schwarzenegger — the performance elevates material that could easily tip into self-seriousness. Start it on Disney Plus whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Conan the Barbarian earns its spot. What makes Conan the Barbarian work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. A horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom, the man responsible for killing his family. Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. Conan the Barbarian came out in 1982. The rules of Conan the Barbarian's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Conan the Barbarian fits the bill. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch for Arnold Schwarzenegger in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.