That's the thing - is there an artistic vision or is it just a set piece/stage for the action scenes. The latter is, in my opinion, one of the things that really is hindering big genre movies, whether it's Star Wars or Marvel or whatever. The scenery doesn't tell a story, it showcases the action.
As an aside, Red Sonja is a product of the 70s, created by Roy Thomas. Red Sonya of Rogatino is described by REH as follows (not that he didn't have plenty of scantily clad characters in his stories otherwise!):
She was tall, splendidly shaped, but lithe. From under a steel cap escaped rebellious tresses that rippled red gold in the sun over her compact shoulders. High boots of Cordovan leather came to her mid-thighs, which were cased in baggy breeches. She wore a shirt of fine Turkish mesh-mail tucked into her breeches. Her supple waist was confined by a flowing sash of green silk, into which were thrust a brace of pistols and a dagger, and from which depended a long Hungarian saber. Over all was carelessly thrown a scarlet cloak.