Barbarians – Review [Fantastic Fest] (4/5)

BARBARIANS is a new British Thriller that works remarkably well. So much so that I was on the edge of my seat throughout.  And I loved it! Also, the cast was brilliant. Screened at Fantastic Fest 2021. Read our full Barbarians movie review here!

BARBARIANS is a new Thriller from the UK that you do not want to miss. As it’s often the case, you don’t want to know too much about the plot before you watch it.

Just know that the characters are deliciously flawed (in very organic and real ways) and the story keeps evolving. It’s both a total mindf*ck and the essence of human nature. This thriller kept throwing unexpected twists at me and the cast delivered all the elements of this rollercoaster ride perfectly.

Continue reading our Barbarians movie review below.

All about the alpha male

Since I can’t go into the plot too much, let me focus on the small cast. After all, the core cast consists of just four people. These four people are friends having dinner while celebrating one of their birthdays. Sounds innocent and normal enough, right?!

Well, it both is and most definitely isn’t. Secrets surface and it ultimately turns into a dinner party from hell.

The four friends are Adam (Iwan Rheon from Game of Thrones) and Eva (Catalina Sandino Moreno, star of Maria Full of Grace). They portray the young couple hosting the dinner. He wants to do right and she is an artist who is naturally strong and direct. The two work very well as a couple – though their dynamic is often a bit off.

They are joined by Lucas (Tom Cullen from Black Mirror) and his sweet new girlfriend Chloe (Inès Spiridonov). While Chloe is new to the group, she is a huge fan of Eva’s art. Lucas is an influencer and all about business and power. He is toxic masculinity personified and someone who needs to dominate and be the alpha at all times.

You’ll want to watch Barbarians

This is the feature film debut by writer and director Charles Dorfman. And what a debut it is! I was on the edge of my seat throughout almost the entire runtime which was a tight 89 minutes. And I loved it!

However, even if Charles Dorfman is debuting as a writer and director, he has been a producer for quite some time. Meaning he is very much used to being involved with making movies. He was a producer on movies such as the horror-comedies Satanic Panic (2019) and Boys from Country Hell (2020).

Hopefully, it’s very clear that I thoroughly enjoyed watching Barbarians. A dark and solid thriller with a satirical perspective on the very real world. Do not miss out on Charles Dorfman’s Barbarians.

Barbarians had its World Premiere on September 28, 2021, at Fantastic Fest where we screened it. It will be out in theaters and on demand on April 1, 2022.

Details

Director: Charles Dorfman
Writer: Charles Dorfman
Stars: Tom Cullen, Iwan Rheon, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Inès Spiridonov, Connor Swindells, Will Kemp, Tommy McDonnell