Movie Review: Barbarians Is A Fresh Take On Home Invasion Horror

April 5, 2022

Written by Kelli Marchman McNeely

Kelli Marchman McNeely is the owner of HorrorFuel.com. She is an Executive Producer of "13 Slays Till Christmas" which is out on Digital and DVD and now streaming on Tubi. She has several other films in the works. Kelli is an animal lover and a true horror addict since the age of 9 when she saw Friday the 13th. Email: horrorfuelinfo@gmail.com

Odds are you’ve had a friend that you really don’t like, but you kept around for some reason or another. That’s the kind of friendship that the two couples have in Barbarians, the new home invasion thriller from writer-director Charles Dorfman.

 

Adam (Iwan Rheon, “Game of Thrones”) and Eva (Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace) have been gearing up to sign on the dotted line for their new home, sold to them by their bully of a friend Lucas (Tom Cullen). Lucas and his girlfriend (Inès Spiridonov) join Adam and Eva for dinner in their new home. After listening to Lucas be an asshole all night, Adam and Eva learn Chloe is pregnant, which is a problem. Things come to a head when blows are exchanged between Adam and Lucas. Then the situation is suddenly made worse when three home invaders crash the party.

 

Barbarians is wild, featuring constant drama and action, and gives viewers a story that will keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat. If you liked You’re Next, this one will be right up your alley. While the story is different it does have a similar feel.

 

The entire film is about greed in multiple forms and insinuates that karma is a bitch, much like the movie’s characters. Adam is weak and pathetic. Eva is pretentious, and I’ve already mentioned that Lucas is a complete testosterone-fueled prick. As for Chloe, she comes across as somewhat vapid. Honestly, I didn’t feel much for the characters, especially after their secrets and crimes come to light. Somehow, the film still works though.

 

Barbarians is well-timed and has a somewhat fresh plot, which is difficult seeing the massive number of home invasion movies we’ve seen over the past couple of years. I have to say the ending was an interesting choice and serves as a nice twist.

 

So, is Barbarians worth a watch? The answer is yes. It opens in theaters and arrives on On-Demand on April 1, 2022, from IFC Midnight.

 

 

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