Conan the Barbarian 3D

[prettyxcool]

What a disappointment the "meet and greet" was at the Soho Hotel screening! The comp winners were asked to arrive at 6pm, with the meet and greet at 6.30pm and the screening to start at 7pm.

Several times after 6.30pm, I asked the person holding the guest list about the meet and greet, and he assured me he will call us as soon as Jason Momoa arrives, but by about 6.55pm he still had not turned up and when I asked him yet again, as everyone was now going into the screening room. I was told to go and find a good seat and he will call us, but nothing of the sort happened. After about 10 minutes, Jason was introduced and he made a quick speech, that lasted about 30 seconds and then he came and sat and watched the film with us. The cinema was dark and he had a hat on that covered his face, so we did not even get a good look at him in the flesh! I thought perhaps, they would do it after the film, but when it finished, the organisers and Jason were nowhere to be seen! It wouldn't matter so much, but comp winners were promised a meet and greet. This would have been the highlight for me, but instead, the highlight was meeting beate, cliveas, ucakpam, birovr, tomorrow72.

I hope all comp winners write in and complain. It won't bring him back, but at least the organisers should know the disappointment as people who were not at the screening managed to get autographs and photos of him outside the hotel, when he eventually turned up, and those stuck inside only saw a shadow under a hat and dark glasses for a few seconds!

Luckily, I did enjoy the film. It was fun and entertaining, but much too much violence, but it is to be expected for this type film. The landscapes and scenery was lovely though, lots of action, although story is weak, but I didn't care as all I did was just swoon over Jason Momoa's smouldering looks! What a hunk as well. 7/10 but for Jason 10/10.

Also as predicted, too much drinks before the screening, meant a lot of people were dashing to the loos during the screening. I held back as didn't want to miss a single second of Jason's smouldering

Also did anyone else think that Rachel Nichols who played Tamara looks very much like a young Jodie Foster?

[Beate]

We arrived a full hour early, having, third time lucky, finally memorised the way to the hidden Soho Hotel. PXC and cliveas were there already and I met my old friends, the delectable green olives from the gatecrashed private screening in February! So I was happy munching olives, OH was happy with his free beers, and PXC was happy taking pictures of us. There were fewer FMUKers than I had anticipated though and when we were finally let into the bigger screening room at about 7pm (no cow hides, love seats or drink tables, sniff), PXC and I stayed behind to enquire about the promised meet and greet. They said it was going to happen but we should probably get ourselves some seats first. So we hogged the last row and after a while Jason Momoa came in to introduce the film. It was quite dark and he had a stupid bowler hat on so we couldn't even see his face properly. He then said he was going to see the film with us and asked us to be nice to him, LOL. He plopped down in the middle, two rows in front of us, more or less in a direct line in front of tomorrow72. OH then shouted he ought to take his hat off then if he was going to sit there. He was passed some champagne in an ice cooler (at least that's what it looked like), so no wonder he needed the loo twice during the film! (not that I was counting or anything).

The film - what can I say. Awful. A senseless macho-slaughterfest with some really gruesome battle and killing scenes, only interspersed by random sexism, when Conan was grunting "Woman! Come here!" or other Shakespearean lines to the "pureblood" love interest of his, who must have been chosen for the part for her good looks and not her acting ability - she has got to be a model of some sort. Granted, she was allowed to fight a bit too and took to the killing with gusto after a short introduction, but she was also screaming fetchingly and calling for Conan whenever she was in danger. Honestly, this was slaughter porn. Urgh. I heard tomorrow72 next to me giggle helplessly at some point, probably when another head rolled.

Unfortunately, we never got our meet and greet as Jason and the PR crew were gone after the film and never reappeared. I think PXC was very disappointed. I was almost relieved because I had been dreading being asked by Momoa what I thought of the film and stuttering "Um... er... it, was... you know... you have beautiful eyes!"

OH however loved the film and the evening so at least someone was happy.

Before I say that it was all bad - there was one thing that was absolutely amazing, and that was the access to excellent dental care the Barbarians must have had. A set of perfect pearly whites all of them - NHS take note! Or do I have to kill a few warriors first to get access to that level of treatment?

4/10

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

I was with Valda and Funthing at this Big Screen showing....and was caught nodding off, despite the relentless bombastic soundtrack, lol.

I enjoyed it to an extent but it was lacking invention. Sure there were actions sequences galore but I expected oomph and zest rather than the going with the motions set pieces. Then again, the 3 day was taking its toll on me at this point so i guess I cant really judge it fairly. But I miss Arnie and James Earl Jones of the original.

5/10

[valda]

Did he have long hair or short hair at the screening?

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Did he have long hair or short hair at the screening?

LOL, all will be revealed with Val's mysterious question... Please Soho attenders do tell if he had long or short hair?

[Beate]

Did he have long hair or short hair at the screening?

Long hair. Stupid me, why didn't I think of covering this important subject?

[funthing29]

A pathetic premiere at the 02 tonight. No red carpet in sight and a tiny roped off area designated to the press. They were late letting people into the screen so of course the film started 25 minutes late. The queues outside to get in were astronomical and I heard people saying they were going to merge the audience from screen 2 into superscreen and I was like WTF? They wont fit. Apparently Mamoa was mobbed on his way to the screen which was why he was late to introduce it.

I was in the superscreen, and there was a brief Q&A with Chris Hewitt (Empire editor) and he looked at the screen and said "that's a big screen, you're gonna see a big ass" and indeed we did!

As for the film, it was exactly what I expected. It was loud. It had a daft story. It was violent. It was bloody. It had nudity.

The 3D was completely unnecessary as usual and I only noticed it during the credits sequence. Mamoa broods his way through the film with one look and handles the fight scenes well. I went into this expecting mindless enterainment and that was what I got. It was good to see this on the giant superscreen (especially Mamoa's *arse*). 5/10.

MrGlass actually fell asleep watching this which I found impressive considering how loud and booming the sound was.

[Beate]

LOL, yeah, how could I forget the arse. He actually seemed disappointed that we were not going to see this in 3D at the Soho Hotel but said he was obviously looking forward to seeing it in 2D - bloody hell, I was! I don't need swords, snakes and blood in 3D, thank you very much.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Did he have long hair or short hair at the screening?

Long hair. Stupid me, why didn't I think of covering this important subject?

Wel there is more to it, Val is onto something very conspitual

[Beate]

Con... what?