Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: BARBARIANS [Fantastic Fest 2021 - Virtual]
The texture of insulated thrillers depends on how the tension is ratcheted but also the reasoning behind it. "Barbarians", in this context, starts off strong with Tom Cullen as an alpha trying to push forward his new idea of utopia. The reasoning of said project is not overtly clear but what has come about in its creation and aftermath per se is bad blood of sorts. The focus though primarily is of a couple trying to start a new life: an artist ("Maria Full Of Grace" star Catalina Sandino Moreno) and her writer/husband (Game Of Thrones' Iwan Rheon). The ideal of their retreat and connection has possibility but the undercurrent of Rheon's reticence speaks to something slightly darker but it is unfocused. Mostly though this doesn't fully come to bear. There is jealousy and definitely a primal push and pull going on with Cullen's Lucas but the reasoning beyond simple animal behavior is less than forthcoming. A twist on trust continues. Much of the film's middle half functions as a dinner party to rachet up what is really wrong. Like last year's "The Rental", "Barbarians" is fueled by darker betrayals and undercurrents but the motivations are less refined. Moreno's character is the most clear but her reactions (likely due to direction) are stilted.
The third act changes the rules to a different throttle point but many aspects from reactions of characters to a certain chemical to a relationship snafu that comes out just weak in its execution simply do not connect the dots. There are many aspects missing as if the director wanted the film to be one thing and shifted it completely into another but not wrapping up what came before. The film takes place over a night but once it gets into the darkness and twilight literally it is shot way too dark (at least for TV screens) so it is hard to see what is going on and to who. This might have been a style choice but it makes it extremely difficult to follow the action and the story for a short while. Once the sun starts to shine it is a little easier but it makes the final climax both shoddy and unfulfilling for all of the characters involve, not the least for Rheon whose journey it is supposed to be. The stakes never quite seem to take hold even though all of the 4 of the main actors do their best to embolden it. "Barbarians" is undeniably muddled despite an exceptional cast by a very dim final quarter and character motivations and actions that never quite hit the mark. C
By Tim Wassberg
