The New Barbarians (1984)

the audience applauded

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Considering its age and that it's Italian,this movie isn't too bad.There's been a nuclear war and a group known as the Templars wants to kill everyone who survived.The main character,who is very boring and forgettable,must stop them.The special effects are so bad they're funny.The Templars shoot some kind of sticky land mine at the hero's car and it sticks to the door.He pushes a button and the door flies off and lands right next to the bad guys.There's an extremely tiny explosion and people do 3 flips in the air like a nuclear bomb hit them.This movie probably set a record for the most people to flip into the air due to a tiny explosion.There's even a few times where it looks like their lips match the audio.90% of the movie takes place in a quarry.They drive out on one side and then just go in the other entrance.Not the best story but there's just enough boobies to even it out.Definitely worth watching.

During the 80's there were two sub-genres breaking out featuring a number of movies influenced by key films, The Road Warrior and Conan the Barbarian. Providing fuel for critics to besmirch them, films inspired substantially(..such as Warriors of the Wasteland, a rip from the Mad Max movies)by these genre staples often had lesser budgets, with more gratuitous elements. Anyone could sit down to watch Warriors of the Wasteland and have plenty reason to criticize it, besides the often unintentionally hilarious dialogue, bizarre costumes for the various groups, wild haircuts, and vehicles modified with junk parts mimicking the characteristics associated with Mad Max movies. While director Enzo G Castellari can not compare with George Miller in regards to the epic scope of The Road Warrior(..few can, in my opinion), he still has a flair in staging action sequences.Giancarlo Prete is Scorpion, man of few words who has cut ties with an intimidating group of homosexual marauders, in ghastly white uniforms, known as The Templars, led by the statuesque One(George Eastman, having to endure blonde streaks in his hair and eye-shadow make-up to make him suitable for his character)and lieutenant Shadow(Ennio Girolami). One is a prophet of hate whose mantra is to spread death and destruction to all he meets. Scorpion and One have a pact not to harm one another, but as the Templars pillage and kill innocent communities across the desert lands left ravaged by the Nuclear Holocaust, they will cross paths multiple times, ultimately headed for a showdown. Joining Scorpion is Nadir(Fred Williamson), an expert with his crossbow(..he uses arrowheads equipped with bombs that explode shortly after impact)who enjoys "the spirit of Victory", and lavishes in the act of combat. Scorpion also finds a love interest in Alma(Anna Kanakis), a target of Shadow, who saves her life from potential harm by the Templars. Giovanni Frezza has perhaps his most lucrative role(..and, for once, isn't saddled with horrible dubbing)of his career as a young mechanic who's quite skilled with a sling shot, saving the lives of both Scorpion and Nadir during the action packed climax. The tin cars driven in the film are equipped with various devices that can stab, hack, and blast victims. Nadir's explosive arrowheads blow apart the bodies of Templars, often taking their heads off. Probably the most notorious scene features Scorpion sodomized by One(..not explicit, but still shocking)as punishment for his sins. Venantino Venantini has a major supporting turn as Father Moses, the religious leader of a community who become entangled with the Templars after helping Alma recover from a damaged shoulder, providing Scorpion and Nadir with a momentary refuge. Claudio Simonetti provides yet another exciting electronic score that adds pop to the action sequences. A running theme has Nadir always rescuing Scorpion from difficult jams where his life is threatened(..Williamson is shackled with burden of remaining cool inside such a hideous costume). The plastic chest/abdomen shield Scorpion wears to protect himself at the end should tickle the funny-bone. The blaster guns resemble those toys that squirt out water. I really dug the silver skull that introduces Scorpion's vehicle to the viewer and several of the cars have drills or spinning blades that cut through victims attempting to flee.

At first glance this film looks like a direct rip-off to "Mad Max", well it is but it has potential. It's a straight up action film not meant to be thought about, just accept the unacceptable. There is no depth at all with the story I feel very lost in how this new post-apocalyptic world came to be.Like any other action flick one guy or a small group off them attempt to take out an army of foes after a huge tie/losing street before the climax,just like this movie. The weapons and gadgets of the film are interesting and creative a bit ridiculous but it's whatever. I just wish they spent more time explaining the characters background and what the details of this new Earth after a nuclear holocaust. Again I will say nothing is given we don't even know when it happened. All we know is now and here. None of the laser guns or bulbed cars or exploding arrows are looked at in detail.The real treat of the film though is the action most of the scenes look phony, but are oh-so-entertaining to watch. From faces being burned of, to people being run over, to exploding heads, and decapitation the movie keeps it's variety trying to keep each explosion or shot fired interesting and new. Of course this is failed by over use of the exploding arrows.I'm a musician so music in film is very very important to me. I read about the score for this film being new and interesting, but it's anything but. The electronica and drum beats are repeated so often I thought the DVD was skipping. But if your just looking for an action flick, and willing to put aside story, acting, and other key elements, I suggest this to anyone. 4/10

"In a post-apocalyptic future, a group of weary survivors is faced with a relentless onslaught from a gang of roving bandits. Into this conflict comes two men, rivals by nature, but forced to take the same side against a common foe. The survival of the human race may very well come down to the outcome of this battle!" according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.In the year 2019, Giancarlo Prete (as Skorpion) battles George Eastman (as One), with a little help from friends Fred Williamson (as Nadir) and Ennio Girolami (as Shadow). Apparently, the "survival of the human race" is at stake because Mr. Stevens and his homosexual gang are killing all the women left on Earth. So, with technology nuked back hundreds of years, where will they get new men to join the gang? Enzo G. Castellari "I nuovi barbari" ("The New Barbarians" in English) features funny hair-dos, souped up golf carts and a poor imitation of the Batmobile. The scenes of mindless violence are, appropriately, highlighted by decapitations. There is a difficult to discern "huh? what is happening there" gay rape scene. This film might have worked if they just made an all-out "Mad Max" parody, with Mel Brooks directing.Too dumb to be offensive, but a noisy waste of resources. * I nuovi barbari (1982) Enzo G. Castellari ~ Giancarlo Prete, Fred Williamson, George Eastman