The Barbarians (film)

The Barbarians is a 1987 American-Italian sword and sorcery film directed by Ruggero Deodato and starring the Barbarian Brothers (Peter and David Paul), Richard Lynch and Eva La Rue. Peter and David Paul were nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award as Worst New Stars for this film.

Plot

The film is set in a heroic fantasy world. The Ragnicks, a tribe of peaceful travelling entertainers, are attacked by the evil tyrant Kadar, who takes their queen Canary hostage. Canary, however, manages to hide her magic ruby, the lucky talisman of the Ragnicks which Kadar seeks to bolster his power. Two young twins from the tribe, Kutchek and Gore, bite off two of Kadar's fingers. In retaliation, Kadar has them taken prisoner as well, but agrees to spare their lives if Canary becomes his bride.

Kutchek and Gore are separated and work as slaves for several years, and grow up as amazingly strong adults. Once they have become of age, Kadar sets them up to fight each other to the death in the arena, their faces masked by metal helmets. But as they struggle, Gore knocks open Kutchek's helmet, revealing his face; after recognizing each other, and after seeing Canary as a prisoner by Kadar's side, the twins escape from Kadar's fortress. In the woods, they find their old tribemates, who have led a life of misery ever since Canary's kidnapping, and a young girl named Ismena, a thief imprisoned by the Ragnicks. At first mistaken for enemies and nearly hanged, Kutchek and Gore manage to reveal their past association with the tribe.