The Barbarian Invasions review

aelst's review

I thought this movie might be about barbarians, jumping around and decapitating people. Instead, this movie is about a dying man, on his death bed. His family and friends gather around with him during his last days. It brings to light a variety of issues, too many for my liking, death (okay this one is good as you don't think about it everyday), religion, health care, promiscuity, capitalism, drugs, euthanasia. Having so many issues in one movie made the story feel a bit fake.

I have no idea about psychology and socialist 'isms', or about the old movie flashbacks. I suppose for students of social sciences and arts this movie might be okay, but for me, the whole movie felt pretentious.

The only amusing thing is that the son looked like Mulder from The X-Files :D

1.5 out of 5 annoyed stars.

ratbag's review

"The Barbarian Invasions" reminded me of some other movies featuring a group of Bohemian college students gathered around drinking beer, smoking pot, discussing everything from sex, relationships, politics, social "isms" and the like. Except in this movie, the group of "Intellectuals" are 30 or so years older, French, and the beer and pot has been upgraded to wine and cocaine.

The "Barbarian" in this movie refers to the cancer which is invading Remy's body, and also to people of Remy's son's generation, who Remy sees as materialistic, unpassionate, and barbaric. While Remy has dedicated his life to enjoying his friends, good food, good wine, womanising, philandering and philosophising, his son Sebastien has been busy making lots of money as a successful trader in London. However it is Sebastian's thoughtfulness, practicality and wealth that have afforded Remy the comfortable final days he experienced. Initially, Remy was alone and miserable in his death bed, until the wife that he has cheated on calls upon their son.

There were some humorous dialogue and situations in "The Barbarian Invasions" however I feel that the movie would appeal to older audiences more, as it shows their alienation from their world. My attitude towards these "Intellectuals" are the same -- its easy to make social commentaries and philosophise, it's much harder to change yourself, let alone the world around you. An above average movie about death.