Bertrand Mandico’s Conan the Barbarian reimagining She Is Conann is a beautifully haunting time-traveling journey. However, it isn’t just a simple reimagining, the film explores the human experiences of love and regret, life and death.

The film starts off by introducing us to a camera-yielding dog-human-demon hybrid, Rainer (Elina Löwensohn) and an elderly Conann (Françoise Brion). Rainer then proceeds to guide audiences throughout the warrior’s life, beginning with a 15-year-old Conann (Claire Duburcq) who is enslaved by the barbarian Sanja (Julia Riedler.) Conann manages to break free of her chains, embracing the adult version of herself (Christa Théret.) Sanja and Rainer remain constants throughout the film, where we eventually see Sanja and Conann (Sandra Parfait) in a relationship during 90s era Bronx. Conann is further transported into the near future, where she is reincarnated into two other versions.

Conann’s journey is displayed in an array of dreamy black and white scenes, glitter, and colorfully eye-popping visuals. The film’s practical effects are convincing, and the gore throughout is disgusting yet beautiful. Every scene elicited a range of emotions, from awe to disgust. I loved the way the film introduced new settings and characters as we explored Conann’s barbarity throughout time.

Like the visuals, the acting was just as great. Each rendition of Conann was equally as ferocious, and Elina Löwensohn as Rainer was particularly charming and humorous. The film’s visuals and acting really had me mesmerized, and I never wanted it to end.

We give She is Conann a 5/5.