Barbarians (2021) User Reviews

Neanderthals

[cahidi · 5/10 · 6 April 2022]

It's a weird thing to do, showing the audience several things that have nothing to do with the story at all.

First, the stone. With Lucas kept on going about the energy of the stone and the place, I thought something was supposed to happen to the people that's caused by the stone. But nothing ever did. The stone was just symbolic.

Second, the dead foxes. The weird scenes with Adam tried to help the dying fox, Dan mercy-killing the fox, and then a wild fox staring at the house from a distance. I thought something which has something to do with foxes is going to happen in the film. I don't know, maybe The Wickes family members are descendants from foxes spirit or something? But no. Those foxes are just plain animals. Nothing supernatural about them. They were just a distraction.

Third, the Wickes boys. They have a personal vendetta against Lucas. And I thought that they were going to kill Lucas to avenge their father. But no, their intention was only to humiliate Lucas. When one of them finally killed Lucas, it was half self-defense. Not because he wanted to end his life.

Over all, there are so many weird unused factors that the script spouted at the audience. That's just plain weird and stupid. Maybe they needed to fill some time so the movie won't be so short? If that's the case, then it's just pathetic.

Mangled story

[jmbovan-47-160173 · 5/10 · 5 July 2022]

This film mangles the story of this type of film. Annoying people with secrets come together. And then a seige happens, tormenting them. And more stupidity ensues. Actors do well with what they are given, but unfortunately, there is little given to them. Nothing new to this genre of film.

Ultimately Unsatisfying but...

[Ckn48 · 5/10 · 5 June 2022]

It does hold the attention for the whole movie.

It jumps from one plot line to the next with little explanation Eventually you realise the movie is over but it hasn't really told a complete story.

The actors manage to carry the movie and keep the attention.

With a better plot, it could have been an amazing movie.

As it is, its passable and the actors are fun to watch.

The Plot is a bit far fetched The sound is ok The Photography is ok The Acting is ok

Its a passable watch 👍👎

A lot of build-up, very little pay-off

[jtindahouse · 4/10 · 5 April 2022]

The structuring of this movie is utterly bizarre. Almost an hour into a 90 minute movie nothing had happened. Just endless talk about nothing interesting. Was this supposed to be extreme effort put into character development, so that when the event the movie should've been about actually happens we care more? If so, it did not work.

I can handle a slow build up if it's done well. But this was basically just watching a group of adults act like no adults in the history of humanity have ever acted. Then when the event actually happens it has to be worth it for the patience you have invested, right? In this case it wasn't at all. It was just weird.

It was hard to find much to like about this one. The cast try their best to bring some life out of the script but even that mostly falls pretty flat. Not a lot to see here. 4/10.

The best bits were in the intro.

[jordz-2008 · 1/10 · 2 April 2022]

Underwhelming. Poor. Run of the mill.

Absolutely no point to the film. The story was basic and had no relevance to certain parts of difference scenes.

The fox? What was that even about.

Will never watch again, an hour and a bit of my life I'll never get back.

Dinner date disaster

[Stanlee107 · 4/10 · 22 September 2022]

Having watched the wrong film, I thought I would at least give it a go. This seems like a double dinner date that celebrates the protagonist's birthday but there may be in an ulterior motive...

It starts out like a drama but it does spiral out of control... It tries hard to seem like a genuine couple double dates but as the alcohol and meal flow some tension and secrets spill out...

There are unwanted guests to add to the mix. It sounds like a good recipe for a decent film... However things that seem too good often aren't. This sadly is one of those films that go from melodrama to the cliche cat and mouse game...

Okay

[EveryAgent · 7/10 · 17 October 2021]

It's a pretty good thriller filled with a sprinkle of dark comedy in it that heightened its level of threat in the third act, albeit a little too dark to see what's going on.

Ultimately goes nowhere

[fluffchop · 3/10 · 4 October 2022]

Take four unlikable characters and put them in a house. Have nothing happen for nearly the whole movie then have someone break in. Again nothing happens. Some people get killed, the end. No suspense, no intrigue, no drama, no action, no laughs. Horrible characters, no story, superficial plot development, and blah blah blah. I found myself saying half way through, this movie sucks. Then I thought how many time have I said this then watched the rest of something? Why? Because you should at least try to watch a whole movie to judge it in it's entirety. There's no nudity, no hot chicks, no story, no plot and no action. It ultimately goes nowhere and isn't worth your time taken to view.

Torn

[gab-67599 · 6/10 · 14 April 2022]

I really was torn between all the good and bad reviews on weather to see this one or not. After watching it I can see why. The story did not explain what the heck was going on at all unfortunately. So your trying to figure out why they are doing what they are doing. The acting was good and for that they get points but they really lost point with me for such a confusing story. This is one of those movies that is good to watch but nothing is explained so you wish you never started watching it in the first place. As always, be your own judge. I myself will not see this one again and will not recommend it to anyone I know.

Oh dear

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 4 April 2022]

Another poor lockdown movie, set entirely in a country home where two couples are having an uneasy evening together. Dark secrets spill out into violence, and that's even before a "home invasion" type scenario develops. Tom Cullen and Iwan Rheon have been fine elsewhere but can do little with the boring scripting and trite psychology here, while the latter half becomes increasingly ridiculous as well as being entirely overfamiliar.

Unexpected and full of red herrings

[Chancery666 · 8/10 · 3 April 2022]

I expected very little of this film, and its current viewer rating of 5 suggests it is mediocre, but it isn't at all. It constantly shifts your expectations. At first it looks like it's going to be about (failed) relationships, then we get pagan festivals meets social media - bound to be a conflict there; then it swerves again into alpha brother and sibling rivalry - all the time you are waiting for the angle the plot is going to follow to become clear, but it doesn't click into gear until it wanders into Straw Dogs territory, and even then it still manages body swerves of the unexpected. It constantly throws up red herrings so that it keeps you on your toes, and while none of them are original it manages to make them original by its off-key take on them.

It also has a terrific laugh-out-loud black humour, which I suspect many people will mistakenly think is a failure of the script to make the characters endearing. I spent the entirety of the dinner party scenes whooping with delight at the outrageous provocations of their sly little barbarities against each other. It really does make you question, as I suspect it's meant to, who the real barbarians are here.

The only place it falls down a little is in the ending, which feels a teeny bit flat, and which viewers might not forgive them for after the build-up, but other than that it is surprisingly gripping. A real subtle little slow-burner which I hope gets more recognition.

friend or foe

[ferguson-6 · 6/10 · 1 April 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. Dinner parties are ripe for generating just about any kind of conflict between characters ... loud and rude, or subtle and passive-aggressive. Many filmmakers have used the setting to their advantage, and from that we've heard some sharp dialogue and seen some tremendous acting performances. And yes, we've suffered through the other end of that spectrum as well. The first feature film from writer-director Charles Dorfman (producer on THE LOST DAUGHTER, 2021) comes from a story by Statten Roeg, and it awkwardly morphs into a blend of dinner party and home invasion.

The morning sun shining through the window causes a couple to slowly awaken. Eva (Catalina Sandino Moreno, MARIA FULL OF GRACE, 2004) and Adam (Iwan Rheon, "Game of Thrones") are in the stunning home on which they expect to finalize the purchase this same evening when the real estate developer (and friend) and his girlfriend arrive for dinner. Our first exposure to Lucas (Tom Cullen) is an infomercial where he's 'selling' the beauty, serenity, and history of the property. It's located near the Gaeta (Gateway) Stone, which holds historical (and possibly mystical) relevance. Through the advertisement, we immediately recognize that Lucas is not exceptionally trustworthy, and may even be a bit of a scammer. We soon enough have clarity on Lucas' carefully constructed online image contrasted with reality.

The dinner party is not just to finalize the purchase of the home, but also to celebrate Adam's birthday. Eva is a renowned artist who has been crafting a sculpture for the property - it's a replica of the nearby Gaeta Stone. Adam is a director who struggles not just with his career, but also with the truth. Dinner begins okay as Lucas and his girlfriend, Chloe (Ines Spiridonov) arrive. Wine is consumed and some friendly needling occurs. After a few minutes, we realize these are self-centered and entitled folks who can't even be honest with each other. When the confessions begin to roll, things get ugly ... but then the home invasion hits, and with it, an abrupt tonal shift.

Some similarities exist between Mr. Dorfman's film and THE FEAST, with a touch of Kubrick's classic A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, but unfortunately, it never reaches the level of either. While we learn the motivation for the home invasion, it comes at a time when we've already given up caring about any of the four main characters. It just doesn't matter other than seeing what might trigger someone to live up to the film's title - as if they hadn't already done so. Composer Marc Canham teases us with the score and purposefully overuses dramatic musical booms. For a thriller to work best, the audience must have someone or something to root for - a not so minor detail missing here. But, oh my, what a cool house!

In theaters and On Demand beginning April 1, 2022.

Why is it called Barbarians?

[FeastMode · 4/10 · 25 April 2022]

I still can't answer that question after watching the movie. It's not terrible, I was mildly entertained through most of it. But it doesn't really feel like it has a point. There is a bunch of extra information that you think will play some part in the story but has no relevance. It tries to have some themes and character arcs but they don't work. It's a poor attempt, but I didn't hate watching it. (1 viewing, 4/24/2022)

Not Good

[mining-71968 · 11 April 2022]

This is a horribly slow movie. Don't waste your time or money on it. It has no real rhyme or reason why someone would waste there money making such an awful film, they should have the money too a charity or something useful.

Over the top acting..and under par writing

[degrees-33365 · 1/10 · 2 April 2022]

This was such a waste of time. There really isn't one thing redeeming about this movie - it quite literally all sucks.

Was this even written or was it just a random word generator that pooped it out?

Iwan Rheon's acting career is - or should be - over. He has no screen presence and delivers lines as if he read them 30 minutes before for the first time.

UGH!

Dull

[karentindale-90312 · 4/10 · 10 April 2022]

Looked promising based on cast members but sadly was quite dull. Characters were pretentious and egotistical, but other rhan that had no personality to make you care about them. Also, the finale part of film quality was so poor they must have filmed it on a mobile phone. Could have been done so much better.

Waste of time!!

[ctbpxxst · 1/10 · 3 August 2022]

This movie is an hour and a half of build up with 3 min of weak pathetic action. I've never made a movie review but I was so mad after wasting my time on this pos I felt the need to save someone from doing the same.

Not that bad

[garyphillimore · 6/10 · 9 April 2022]

Not sure why all the low ratings it was a fairly decent movie, good storyline, acting was good. I've seen a lot worse in the same genre.

Give it a watch Im sure you will agree.

Not very good at all

[turnerw-28359 · 3/10 · 4 April 2022]

Looks like all talk and no action up until the last half hour of this senseless thrill ride that's not very thrilling at all. It's just a slow boring flick set in a country home where dark secrets explode into violence that set in a home invasion where but all it's is really is what I'm calling a senseless thrill with no thrill at all. I'm not sure which genre this movie truly belongs in, but this is one that's just too slow for me.

Put me out of my misery

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 10 April 2022]

Not me as in me personally and while the score here might indicate something sinister, I would also hope no one in the audience. Yes this is more or less by the numbers, especially I reckon if you read what you are about to watch. Since I don't do that, I had one or two surprises along the way.

The thriller elements of the movie work. And if you have been a Game of Thrones fan, the casting will work too. It is quite something seeing someone being something entirely different in GoT and something else here. What does the Fox say? Well the Fox does not say much ... although I'm certain I missed the significance of it appearing and re-appearing. But it does give us something that will come at the end - or rather we'll circle back at the end.

There will be blood and there will be mayhem ... that is for certain. The question is why and how ... nothing ever goes according to plan. And there is almost no one here that is morally above the others ... well the girlfriend/artist somewhat is ... but does that save her or help her? You'll have to watch to find out.

worst filmmaking in a while

[apo_cello · 1/10 · 5 April 2022]

This movie is garbage.

Bad cast, worse script and the WORST editing.

The scenes are awkwardly long, the dialogs dont move forward. They probably kept all the material in to fill the 90 mins to call it a movie...

just frustrating.

Genuinely thrilling, with some-deadpan satirical humor

[leesimon-26357 · 8/10 · 11 October 2022]

I remember seeing the trailers and wanting to see the film. Then waiting long enough to forget every element introduced. I recommend seeing this after forgetting everything in the trailers.

For that reason, I won't speak on any plot element or character. I found it compelling. It was shot well. The classical music score added to some of the satirical humor. It was well-acted. I found the characters realistic and properly developed. It was shot very well, and I appreciated the effort that went into some of the shots.

I could very well see why so many of the negative reviews were disappointed with the lack of action in the first half. It takes half of the run time to set up the scene for the eventual action. It also introduces many symbolic elements that are never truly concluded or explained. For me, personally, I did not mind that those elements had no concrete payoff, because when the inciting event takes place, the movie became exponentially more thrilling and engaging.

I'm sure I will see it again, to see if any of the symbolic elements take on more meaning after more than one viewing. I enjoyed the experience overall and would recommend it.

Why the Hate for this Movie??

[dfields-46972 · 7/10 · 16 January 2023]

I enjoyed this movie, it had all the elements of a thriller. Plot build up, intense scenes, jump scares, climax then the big reveal. Although you can figure out the twist halfway through, it was still an entertaining movie.

Some people are confused about the fox scenes, I won't spoil it for folks but it was obvious to me why it was there and whose flaws it was there to reveal

Ignore the negative reviews and watch it for yourself. I'm coming to the conclusion with IMDB ratings, go with your gut, if you want to watch it, do that! Don't let the negative reviews hinder you from seeing a great movie!!

Enjoy!

Awful

[apmurray71 · 2/10 · 7 April 2022]

A truly awful film with no redeeming features. A waste of an hour and a half. Poor script, less than decent acting & poor directing. Try something else.

made for TV garbage

[bondileveller · 1/10 · 4 June 2023]

If you do a search for this movie, you will see it come up as being a "horror movie".

Well if this is what passes for a horror movie these days then the genre is truly dead.

This plays out, it seems like just about everything produced today, like it was made as a school project. The whole thing just feels so cheap and amateur. It would be just about passable as a Sunday afternoon time waster on the horror channel.

When the "invasion" eventually happens, what we get is little more than a Clockwork Orange parody. Its almost like a Simpsons episode.

I have no idea what happened at the end - its filmed so dark that you cannot see anything but a black screen.

Not that it mattered, by that point I had long since stopped caring about any of it.

Dreadful acting, laughable script, cheap, boring and pointless.