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The Beastmaster
1982 118 min United States of America PG 12+
★5.8
Fantasy, Adventure, Action
Director: Don Coscarelli
🎭 Based on
«The Beast Master»
byAndre Norton
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
Dar, the son of a king, is 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 has the ability to communicate with animals, which leads him on a quest for revenge against his father's killers.
Budget:
$8M
US Gross:
$14.06M
Worldwide:
$14.06M
Starring
Marc Singer
Actor
Tanya Roberts
Actor
Rip Torn
Actor
Awards
1 win & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
The Beastmaster is a divisive piece of 80s sword-and-sorcery cinema that relies heavily on campy fantasy tropes and animal-based action. While some audiences find it to be an entertaining and nostalgic adventure, critics often dismiss it as a derivative, poorly written film with cheap production values.
| Acting | Marc Singer delivers a capable and charismatic performance that anchors the film as a classic fantasy hero. | |
| Production | The film features impressive and complex animal training that remains a standout element of the experience. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative suffers from a disjointed and nonsensical screenplay that undermines the film's internal logic. | |
| Production | Opinions on production values are split between those who find the sets and costumes cheap or kitschy and those who appreciate the location photography and 80s aesthetic. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is polarizing, described alternatively as an enjoyable action adventure or an erratic experience with jarring jumps in logic. |