Dar, is the son of a king, who's hunted by a priest after his birth and grows up in another family. When he becomes a grown man, his new father is murdered by savages and he discovers that he's the ability to communicate with the animals, which leads him on his quest for revenge against his father's killers.
_**Dynamic Marc Singer, stunning Tanya Roberts, horrific creatures and cute ‘n’ cuddly critters**_
Seeking vengeance for the murder of his adopted family & tribe, a warrior named Dar (Marc Singer) goes after the man responsible, high priest Maax (Rip Torn). On the way Dar enlists an eagle he names Sharak, a pair of thieving ferrets named Kodo and Podo, and a black tiger called Ruh. Tanya Roberts is on hand as Kiri, a woman Dar finds alluring while John Amos appears as Seth, a formidable bodyguard.
“The Beastmaster” (1982) came out during the sword & sorcery glut of the early 80s. It may not be as great as “Conan the Barbarian,” but it’s superior to “The Sword and the Sorcerer,” both released earlier the same year.
The film has a fitting cast and features a nice mix of horrific, dynamic and cute. The witches and winged creatures fit into the horrific category while Singer presents a dynamic protagonist. He’s 6’2” and lithe with a masculine face despite the (dirt) blond hair. He seems smarter than Schwarzenegger and lacks his cumbersome bulk. Meanwhile this is a great flick for animal lovers and you’ll probably want to go out and buy a ferret or two.
Tanya is stunning as usual, but appears too thin. She’d look better in “Sheena” (1984) and, especially, “A View to a Kill” (1985). Unfortunately, she never advanced to anything greater than these films; but at least we have these to remember her.
Unlike “The Sword and the Sorcerer” and “Conan the Barbarian,” which came out 3-4 months prior, “The Beastmaster” failed to generate similar box office earnings. It only garnered $14 million from its $8 million investment. Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining early 80’s sword & sorcery flick
The movie runs 1 hour, 58 minutes, and was shot in Valley of Fire State Park in Overton, Nevada, as well as Pyramid Lake & Semi Valley, California, both northwest of Los Angeles in the high country.
GRADE: B
**It deserves to be forgotten.**
Who doesn't like a good dose of cheese? I think almost everyone likes it, but I don't know if things work the same way in cinema. It's really hard to see this film in its entirety because kitsch bad taste dominates.
It all starts with the script, which is so stupid that I confess I got lost in it, and that doesn't usually happen, even when the movies are really bad. The cinematography, of misty tones and unpleasant to the eyes, does not obscure the poorly elaborate sets and costumes worthy of a poor comic. Of course, the main actors appear in far fewer clothes when they have to. After all, certain things always sell a movie, no matter how bad it is. The cast is dominated by Marc Singer and Tanya Roberts. I think they were never good actors, despite her having participated in a film from the 007 saga. Even so, in the midst of a cast of amateurs with very little talent, they look like two movie stars.
I'm a little surprised that they made a sequel to such a poor movie, but it was the 80's, and the likes of that decade are considered dubious in almost everything up to the present day.