4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Film Review

Red Sonja (1985) • 4K Ultra HD [StudioCanal]

The fearless warrior Red Sonja sets out to avenge her family’s murder and rid her kingdom from the tyrannical rule of evil Queen Gedren.

Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian character had been brought to the big screen in 1982 by director John Milius, with Austrian bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the eponymous warrior. A less successful sequel, Conan the Destroyer (1984), was quickly made by Richard Fleischer — acclaimed director of classics 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Fantastic Voyage (1966) and Doctor Dolittle (1967). Fleischer returned to complete this “barbarian trilogy” with Red Sonja, despite Schwarzenegger now confusingly playing the supporting role of Lord Kalidor — who’s clearly intended to be Conan, but they couldn’t secure the rights.

‘Red Sonja of Rogatino’ was one of Howard’s lesser-known creations, introduced in his 1934 short story “The Shadow of the Vulture” before getting a more popular 1973 update in Marvel Comics. A film adaptation was announced in 1983 with animator…