Forever associated with the controversial 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust, the name Ruggero Deodato should resonate for so much more than that. The director of this infamous feature film, which was widely banned across the globe, Italy’s Deodato, is arguably underappreciated. With a wide-open lens that never limits himself to one genre, he worked in Horror, Action, and Westerns, all with a sense of adventure and excitement. Taking chances and making films on his own terms, he created more than twenty feature films in his time beyond Cannibal Holocaust, including 1976’s Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, 1980’s The House on the Edge of the Park, 1985’s Cut and Run, and 1987’s The Barbarians.
Deodato’s lone exploration into the Sword and Sorcery genre (which was quite popular in the 1980s), he took over The Barbarians project from Serbian Filmmaker Slobodan Šijan. A Cannon Films project, it was made on a modest budget but was arguably visually more inviting than other Action Fantasy films of the time. The result of some fantastic costumes and overall production value, and eye-catching scenery (with much of the film shot in the stunning Abruzzo Mountains of central Italy), there was also a decent cast involved; included The Barbarian Brothers (twin brothers bodybuilding brothers named Peter Paul and David Paul), Richard Lynch (known for his list of villainous protrayals in films/television), Eva LaRue (who would later find further success on the CBS series CSI: Miami), Virgnia Bryant (which was in several Italian Horror films like 1986’s Demons 2), Raffaella Baracchi (Miss Italia 1983), as well as Horror film icon Michael Berryman.
A bunch of names to grab a niche audience’s attention: in Barbarians, you have The Barbarian Brothers themselves taking the lead as two opposing barbarians, Kutchek and Gore, seeking to free their Queen Canary (Virginia Bryant) from the enslavement of the evil ruler Kadar (Richard Lynch). Set out on a quest to make all right in the world, with the help of a strong outlaw woman named Kara, there’s an adventure that keeps you engaged from start to finish.
Some may consider it a campy plot, written by James R. Silke, who also wrote other scripts, such as 1983’s Revenge of the Ninja. However, if you remove yourself from being so critical, you will find Barbarians to be a ton of fun. With that in mind, it has a certain charm that feels like a more mature live-action version of Filmation’s outstanding animated series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, or something fans of 1982’s Conan the Barbarian might enjoy. So, is Barbarians for everyone? Of course not, but that does not mean it lacks value.
Not overly successful in its US theatrical run but still remembered by many, Barbarians has continued to find its way to audiences through home media in the decades to follow. Receiving a VHS release in the early ‘90s, it was released on DVD in 2013, followed by a Blu-ray release in 2020 through Kino Lorber. However, on November 25, 2025, Kino Lorber re-released Barbarians on Blu-ray yet again, this time as a special edition. This time, remastered in 2K, the imagery is significantly improved over the 2020 edition. Brighter, crisper, and offering more depth, it is the perfect opportunity to kick back and catch the movie late at night with a large bucket of popcorn.
Beyond this, there are also theatrical trailers and audio commentaries as bonus features, as well as a nice slipcase with unmistakable art featuring the muscular Barbrian Brothers upfront and Michael Berryman as Dirtmaster in the background. A Fantasy Action film that is worth adding to your collection, Cryptic Rock gives the 2025 Blu-ray release of Barbarians from Kino Lorber 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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