RED SONJA (1985): A Swords-and-Sorcery Misfire That Barely Wields Its Blade

Released in 1985, Red Sonja feels like the forgotten cousin in the Conan the Barbarian family—set in the same universe of swords, magic, and muscle-bound heroes, yet lacking the grit, depth, and energy that made Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Conan the Destroyer (1984) staples of the fantasy genre. While Arnold Schwarzenegger’s presence as the warrior Kalidor adds some much-needed muscle to the film, Red Sonja never fully captures the raw power or epic storytelling that made the Conan films so memorable.

Still, for all its flaws, Red Sonja has a campy, guilty-pleasure appeal. Its over-the-top performances, hammy dialogue, and colorful production design make it an interesting curiosity for fans of 1980s fantasy films and Schwarzenegger completists. However, it falls far short of its Conan predecessors, and even Arnold’s undeniable charisma can’t elevate it beyond mediocrity.

A Thin Plot Wrapped in a Familiar Setting

Red Sonja stars Brigitte Nielsen in her breakout role as the titular warrior, a vengeful heroine seeking to destroy the evil Queen Gedren (Sandahl Bergman) after her family is murdered and her village destroyed. Along the way, she reluctantly teams up with Kalidor (Schwarzenegger), a wandering swordsman who assists her in her quest to destroy a magical talisman capable of wiping out entire civilizations.

If the plot sounds like a generic blend of revenge and magical artifacts, that’s because it is. Unlike Conan the Barbarian, which had a mythic quality and themes of survival, destiny, and power, Red Sonja is a straightforward fantasy adventure that lacks the same narrative depth. Where Conan the Barbarian felt like an epic tale ripped from the pages of ancient mythology, Red Sonja comes off more like a cartoonish imitation, complete with simplistic characters and a thinly developed world.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Warrior Without Purpose

Arnold Schwarzenegger, fresh off the success of Conan the Destroyer and the game-changing The Terminator (1984), lends his iconic presence to Red Sonja as Kalidor, a warrior who is essentially a carbon copy of Conan in everything but name. In fact, the resemblance is so uncanny that many fans have debated whether Kalidor is supposed to be Conan under a pseudonym (the rights to the “Conan” name reportedly limited Arnold’s role).

While Arnold’s towering physique and stoic charisma are as magnetic as ever, Kalidor is a disappointingly thin character. Unlike Conan, who had a defined arc and a complex, brooding personality, Kalidor feels more like a glorified sidekick, popping in and out of the story to help Red Sonja when she’s in trouble. Arnold does his best with the material, delivering a few memorable action sequences and lending the film a sense of gravitas, but he’s woefully underutilized. Compare this to his turn in Conan the Barbarian, where he brought a primal intensity to the role, or Conan the Destroyer, where his wry humor added depth to the character. In Red Sonja, Arnold is little more than a sword-swinging extra.

Brigitte Nielsen: A Warrior in Training

Brigitte Nielsen makes her acting debut as Red Sonja, a character who’s meant to embody strength, resilience, and vengeance. Physically, Nielsen is well-cast—her towering height and commanding presence make her believable as a warrior—but her performance leaves much to be desired. Her line delivery is stiff, and she struggles to bring emotional depth to a character who’s defined almost entirely by her quest for revenge.

To her credit, Nielsen does show promise in the action sequences, wielding a sword with confidence and holding her own alongside Schwarzenegger. However, Red Sonja as a character feels underdeveloped, with none of the complexity or charisma that made Arnold’s Conan so iconic. Where Conan was a survivor shaped by the harshness of his world, Sonja is more of a blank slate, driven by a singular goal without much exploration of her inner life.

Campy Villains and a Forgettable Supporting Cast

Every fantasy epic needs a great villain, and unfortunately, Red Sonja doesn’t deliver. Sandahl Bergman, who memorably played Valeria in Conan the Barbarian, returns to the sword-and-sorcery genre as the evil Queen Gedren. While Bergman clearly has fun chewing the scenery, Gedren is a generic antagonist with no real depth or menace. Compare her to James Earl Jones’s Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian, a villain whose hypnotic presence and philosophical musings made him one of the most memorable characters in the genre. Gedren, by contrast, feels like a one-note caricature.

The supporting cast includes Ernie Reyes Jr. as Prince Tarn, a bratty child ruler who provides comic relief, and Paul L. Smith as his loyal but bumbling servant Falkon. While they add a touch of humor to the film, their characters often feel out of place in a story that’s supposed to be about vengeance and heroism.

Action, Aesthetics, and Over-the-Top Production

If there’s one area where Red Sonja deserves credit, it’s in its production design. The film’s sets and costumes are colorful, detailed, and appropriately over-the-top, capturing the campy, exaggerated aesthetic of 1980s fantasy. From Gedren’s ominous lair to the sprawling landscapes, the world of Red Sonja is visually appealing, even if it doesn’t feel as fully realized or immersive as the grim, brutal world of Conan the Barbarian.

The action sequences, while entertaining, lack the intensity and creativity of the Conan films. Where Conan the Barbarian featured raw, visceral battles that felt grounded in the characters’ survival, Red Sonja opts for more choreographed swordplay that often feels overly polished and weightless. The film’s climactic showdown is satisfying enough, but it doesn’t deliver the same cathartic punch as Conan’s final battle against Thulsa Doom.

A Step Down for the Sword-and-Sorcery Genre

What makes Red Sonja so frustrating is its potential. With Schwarzenegger and Nielsen at the helm, the film had all the ingredients for a thrilling fantasy adventure. But instead of embracing the dark, mythic tone that made Conan the Barbarian a classic, Red Sonja leans into camp and simplicity, resulting in a film that feels more like a Saturday morning cartoon than an epic tale.

It’s also worth noting that Red Sonja marks a low point in Schwarzenegger’s career as a sword-and-sorcery hero. While he would go on to redefine himself as an action icon in Predator and Total Recall, Red Sonja feels like a tired retread of the Conan formula, offering little in the way of innovation or excitement.

Final Thoughts: A Mediocre Adventure with Some Guilty-Pleasure Charm

Red Sonja is a flawed and forgettable entry in the sword-and-sorcery genre, but it’s not without its charms. For fans of Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s an interesting (if frustrating) look at his final outing in the world of swords and sandals. And for those who enjoy campy, over-the-top fantasy, the film’s colorful production design and cheesy dialogue provide some guilty-pleasure entertainment.

However, compared to Conan the Barbarian—an S-tier masterpiece that redefined the genre—and even Conan the Destroyer, which at least had humor and energy, Red Sonja feels like a pale imitation. It’s worth a watch for die-hard fantasy fans or Schwarzenegger completists, but don’t expect it to swing its sword with the same impact as Arnold’s more legendary outings. In the pantheon of Schwarzenegger films, Red Sonja is a mere footnote—an amusing misstep on the way to much greater things.