Rating: PG
Genre:
Adventure
Release Date: 10/23/2001
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: English
Sound: THX/DD-EX/DTS-ESD
Run Time: 118 Minutes
Distributor/Studio: Anchor Bay
This low-budget entry into the sword-and-sorcery cycle of the early '80s wasn't successful during its initial release, but has steadily built a strong cult following over the years.
The Beastmaster tells the story of
Dar (
Marc Singer), the son of a king who was stolen from his mother's womb by a witch under the command of vicious sorcerer
Maax (
Rip Torn). A poor villager saves
Dar from being sacrificed and raises him as his own son, teaching
Dar how to fight and witnessing the boy's ability to telepathically communicate with animals. Their happiness is destroyed when their village is attacked by the evil Jun horde, a race of beast-like warriors controlled by
Maax.
Dar vows revenge and journeys to his father's former kingdom to destroy
Maax. Along the way, he falls in love with gorgeous slave girl
Kiri (
Tanya Roberts) and teams up with former royal guard
Seth (
John Amos).
Dar also uses his powers to enlist the aid of an eagle, a panther and two adorable ferrets named
Kodo and
Podo. Together,
Dar and his unlikely but brave team square off with
Maax in an impressive two-part finale that involves a swordfight on the side of a pyramid and a showdown with the
Jun horde near a flaming moat. The resulting film was full of action and eccentric surprises, but failed to make an impression at a box office already glutted with
fantasy films. However,
The Beastmaster eventually became a serious cult favorite thanks to home video and extensive exposure on cable (it is the second most aired movie on
TBS after
Gone With the Wind). This enduring popularity led to two sequels and a syndicated television series chronicling the further adventures of
Dar.
~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
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