Warrior and swordswoman Red Sonja has a long history in the world of pop culture. The character as most know her was created by Roy Thomas in 1973 and was somewhat inspired by Robert E. Howard’s Red Sonya of Rogatino from 1934. Thomas – the man who brought the classic pulp character Conan the Barbarian to mainstream American comics – often teamed Red Sonja with Conan in his Hyborian Age adventures prior to her receiving her first self-titled dedicated comic series in 1977.

Those who aren’t comic fans may remember Red Sonja from the not-so-great 1985 film starring Brigitte Nielsen. It was a spin-off from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s popular Conan movies but ended up a critical and commercial failure. Nonetheless a reboot was in the works in 2008 and again in 2015, but both attempts crumbled early into their conceptions. By 2021 a script had finally been written, and one year later M. J. Bassett was in line to direct.

Now set for its official release, “Red Sonja” seeks to recapture the once popular sword and sorcery pulp from the 1980s. In many ways it’s very much a throwback action fantasy in line with that decade’s earlier (and notably bloodier) films. At the same time, it has no real connection to the 1985 film and is only vaguely in line with the more recent comics. Instead Bassett takes Red Sonja in a handful of new directions while mostly staying true to the essence of her character.

An inspired Matilda Lutz fully commits to her role as the eponymous central character. Her Red Sonja is a capable warrior who is not without her own vulnerabilities, many of which are traced back to her childhood. A series of flashbacks reveal she was separated from her people as a child after their village was violently ransacked by barbarians. Now, accompanied only by her fiercely loyal horse, Sonja roams the vast Dyrkania forest in search of her lost people, the Arkanians.

After pouring out some well-deserved vengeance on some shameless poachers, Sonja is taken captive by the film’s big baddie, Draygan (Robert Sheehan). He and his entourage are combing the forest for beasts to put in his arena. Sonja is immediately cast into his den of gladiators whose only purpose is to “die exceptionally“. The similarities to Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” are impossible to deny. Sonja is told she can win her freedom if she wins in the arena. And she can only win in the arena if she wins the crowd (sound familiar?). Meanwhile her courage wins over the other gladiators who determine to fight by her side.

As for Draygan, in many ways he’s a blend of several fantasy villain archetypes. But Bassett and screenwriter Tasha Huo add a few layers of backstory that give him a touch of his own identity. Draygan is a self-ordained emperor who seeks the second half of a sacred tome that he believes prove he is the fulfillment of a mythical prophecy. He’s the epitome of a megalomaniac, using his crude mechanical inventions and army of loyalists to crush anyone in his way. He’s also a coward, hiding behind those very same forces he wields.

To no one’s surprise, the story moves towards an inevitable showdown between Sonja and Draygan. As it does, we’re ushered through a violent world full of ancient gods, mythical creatures, and eye-popping natural beauty. At the same time, you can’t miss the moments of campiness and certain scenes where the film’s budget constraints are made pretty obvious. Still Bassett does a lot with what she’s given, unfolding an immersive story accented by beautiful landscapes, brutal violence, and a rousing heroine at its center.

For many (like me), “Red Sonja” is an entertaining callback to a nearly forgotten time in sword and sorcery cinema. It’s a movie that embraces the wonder (and at times absurdity) of the 1980s films with reverence. Yet it’s littered with lines of humor that keep it from taking itself too seriously. And while it has most of Sonja’s key ingredients including her fierce warrior tenacity, her fire-red hair, and even her signature chain mail bikini, it’s aware enough to poke fun at the old-school exploitation from her past. When all considered, “Red Sonja” is the worthwhile feature length adaptation the character has long deserved.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS