Barbarella
Barbarella

Barbarella

1968Movie98 minEnglish

In the far future, a highly sexual woman is tasked with finding and stopping the evil Durand-Durand. Along the way she encounters various unusual people.

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Insights

IMDb6.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes62%
Metacritic58/100
Google Users70%
Director: Roger VadimGenres: Science Fiction, Comedy, Adventure

Plot Summary

In the 41st century, the space-faring agent Barbarella is tasked by the President of Earth to find a missing scientist, Dr. Durand Durand, who has invented a dangerous weapon. Her journey takes her to the mysterious planet Xyllos, where she encounters bizarre characters and navigates a surreal landscape filled with futuristic technology and sexual innuendo. Ultimately, Barbarella must use her wit and charm to disarm the weapon and save humanity from destruction.

Critical Reception

Barbarella was a commercial success and has since become a cult classic, celebrated for its vibrant visuals, campy humor, and provocative themes. While initially met with mixed reviews for its perceived silliness and weak plot, its unique aesthetic and Jane Fonda's iconic performance have cemented its place in science fiction and pop culture history.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its stunning, psychedelic production design and costumes.
  • Noted for Jane Fonda's charismatic and campy performance.
  • Criticized for its flimsy plot and often nonsensical narrative.

Google audience: Audiences generally enjoy Barbarella for its distinctive visual style, playful and erotic atmosphere, and Jane Fonda's engaging presence. Some find the plot convoluted, but many appreciate its unique blend of sci-fi, comedy, and sheer camp.

Fun Fact

The distinctive visual style of Barbarella, particularly its costumes and sets, was heavily influenced by the contemporary pop art movement. The film's art director, Jean-Paul Gascot, and costume designer, Jacques Fonteray, created a look that was both futuristic and emblematic of the swinging sixties.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

4 reviews
JPV852

JPV852

Got the new Arrow Video 4K release and decided to give this another watch. Still not great but lots of fun to watch and of course Jane Fonda was sexy as hell. Wouldn't mind seeing the novel getting another adaptation, I can see someone like...
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

I can't help but wonder what Jane Fonda might think if she were to look back on this sexy sci-fi nonsense from 50 years ago. It is not alone in being terrible - there were plenty of drug-induced/enhanced films made in the late 60s so as to ...
Filipe Manuel Neto

Filipe Manuel Ne...

**Revolutionary in its time, and still highly regarded today, it is an attack on good visual taste and brings a very stupid story.** There are films that stand out because they are really very good, for the high quality of the production...
Kamurai

Kamurai

Decent watch, might watch again, but can't recommend unless it's for a Bad Movie Night. I want to like this movie, it really might have been a great movie, once upon a time, but it still would have been a "comedy-whatever" movie, and it'...