Review of Barbarella (1968) by Justin B — 28 Jun 2015

This is one of those fantasy films that's so silly you probably won't make hide nor hair it, or at least not on the first time you see it. It's nonsense, utter nonsense, but it's actually quite entertaining.

The film certainly has a unique stylistic flair, and I like the music they made for the film. Although the special effects are obviously dated and look silly by today's standards, they still look quite nice, as do the visuals.

The acting is a bit ridiculous, but it's not terrible, and at least Jane Fonda does a damn good job in the lead role. Simply put it, this is a film that is not meant to be taken seriously, even in parts of the plot that would call for it.

It is very campy, but it's full of humour, and I guarantee that it can be enjoyed on a basic level, so long as you don't read into it too much. The big problem with the film is that barely makes any sense whatsoever.

There's not a lot of exposition, and the details the plot is willing to divulge in are pure nonsense. Sometimes, it's hilarious, but otherwise it's something that makes the film harder and harder to take seriously.

It's not that it should have been more serious. On its own it could have been great, but its deeply flawed, and the biggest irony about it is that its brought down by the same level of camp that's supposed to make it fun.