She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 29, 2024

Director of “The Wild Boys” and “After Blue,” Bertrand Mandico has a specific approach to his filmmaking endeavors. With “She Is Conann,” Mandico takes on the character of Conan the Barbarian, created by Robert E. Howard, only this is no adaptation of the literary source. It’s a very different tale of high adventure, with Mandico generating a surreal study of evolution and empowerment as various stages of the warrior’s life are explored, often in graphic detail. Mandico stays close to his helming habits, employing muse Elina Lowensohn in a supporting role, sticking with set-bound visuals, and pumping in the glitter. “She Is Conan” is something to see, taking a big swing with all the artful oddity. It isn’t particularly compelling as a story of reflection, but Mandico’s not one to invest in drama. He’s more turned on by visual intensity, and there’s plenty of that here.

Conann (Francoise Brion) has reached the moment of death, joined by her chronicler, Rainer (Elina Lowensohn), a dog-woman who brings the legend to a place of reflection, looking back on the stages of her life. This includes Conann’s birth as a barbarian (Claire Duburcq), taught cruelty by leader Sanja (Julia Riedler), eventually taking her place as a warrior to be feared (Christa Theret). Conann returns in many forms, including a stunt woman in the 1980s (Sandra Parfait), a military general (Agata Buzek), and an art world feast (Nathalie Richard), with the aged warrior looking back on her experiences, unsure what she’s accomplished as she prepares for the next phase of life.

Thoughts of previous cinematic Conan adventures are almost immediately extinguished in “She Is Conann,” which exists in a nightmare realm befitting the character’s examination of mortality. Mandico doesn’t go for sword and sorcery, electing for a darker fantasy where Conann reconnects with stages in her life, beginning with the brutality of the barbarians, who turn her into a hardened warrior comfortable with revenge. Mandico maintains an unreality to the endeavor, toying with color and time, even casting as well, as Conann is played by a wide variety of performers, who each bring something different to the role. Mandico’s cinematographic fetishes also remain in full effect, with the feature all gauzy and bloody, finding the specifics of tearing flesh a major focal point for the picture, perhaps befitting a tale of barbarian power.

She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "She Is Conann" retains the dreamlike visual experience of the picture, which secures a softer look for the unreal adventure. Detail survives, offering a textured look at the actors and their sometimes strange skin particulars. Makeup achievements are also preserved, join by goopier shots of torn flesh and innards. Costuming remains fibrous. A set-bound endeavor, depth is appreciable with strange environments. Color is limited to certain moments of the feature, preserving richness. Black and white cinematography remains balanced. Delineation is satisfactory.

She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix maintains clear dialogue exchanges, working with different languages and performance choices. Unintelligibility isn't an issue. Scoring cues support with sharpness, and musical moods go circular on occasion, especially with electropop offerings. Atmospherics are decent, handling the alien worlds of the picture. Low-end emerges with elements of violence and heavier beats.

She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Bertrand Mandico Short Films (HD) include "The Show Has Already Started" (7:46), "Rainer, A Vicious Dog in Skull Valley" (26:06), "We Barbarians" (27:16), and "The Last Cartoon – Nonsense, Optimistic, Pessimistic" (9:16).

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:37, HD) is included.

She Is Conann Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"She Is Conann" marches through time, dealing with death, cannibalism, and lust. Power plays are examined and mortality is discussed, with conversations largely driven by an untrustworthy dog-woman who takes pictures of everything. It's all very strange, and as with previous Mandico offerings, there comes a point when the wonderful technical achievements of the endeavor start to feel stale. Without a firm story to tend to or characters to examine, "She Is Conann" becomes tedious as it enters its second half, resembling an installation art piece. The helmer certainly captures atmosphere and remains committed to his aesthetic, but a little of Mandico goes a long way.