Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
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.
The Beastmaster is a fondly remembered sword-and-sorcery B-movie from the early 80s genre boom. Its plot is a fairly generic revenge quest with familiar fantasy tropes — chosen hero, evil priest, exotic animals — executed competently but without much sophistication. Acting is serviceable at best; Marc Singer is earnest but limited, and Rip Torn hams it up as the villain. Cinematography is a genuine bright spot for a low-budget production, with solid location work and reasonably dynamic action staging. Novelty is modestly above average for the time — the animal-communication angle and the eclectic creature companions give it a distinct identity within the crowded sword-and-sorcery subgenre, even if the broader framework is derivative. The ending is a fairly by-the-numbers climactic battle and resolution that doesn't leave much of an impression. Overall a fun cult artifact that lands roughly where its reputation suggests.