New Footage and Extras are Nice, But You'll Want to Own the Original as Well

Rating: 9/10 (20 September 2009)

This Unrated Version finally gives the DVD fans what they want -- 6 minutes of additional footage, two alternate endings, and some making-of bonus features. At least... we thought we wanted an "unrated" version. The problem is, the original was consider a classic in its day, that adding six more minutes of footage (sprinkeled around a number of scenes) really breaks up the almost-brilliant pacing that fans loved from the original film. The footage added also makes this basically an R-rated film now, with what we would call "strong sexuality" (without given away the jokes. It was nice to see the extra footage, even if it is a little more risqué, but the original PG-13 rating really suits the movie better (and younger teens can watch it without hearing jokes that parents think are too strong). Missing is any kind of audio commentary, and the complete absence of Jim Carrey in the bonus material is rather strange. Swartzenegger was available for the bonus' in the first Conan movie when it got re-released on DVD, so why didn't the studio at least try to wait for Carrey to have some free time. If you're a fan like me, and can almost recite EVERY line from memory, seeing this Uncut Version will be a nice treat, especially when it come to the extras (though everything fits on only 1 disc, so we don't get a whole lot of content). I liked seeing the extra footage, but as soon as I finished this new version, I went online and bought the original PG-13 DVD -- because that's the film that I loved and memorized years ago. Extra footage is nice, and a few sections of the Deleated Scenes are really funny, but they really did leave the funniest stuff in the original version. Still, buy this version for the extras, but buy the original on DVD as well. That's the version that will always be a classic, no matter how much time passes.