Barbarella, 1968
Always interesting when a movie is both better and worse than you'd imagined.
Barbarella is a space adventurer who is tasked with tracking down a missing doctor/scientist who has created a weapon which could threaten the peace of the universe. Crash landing on a planet, she encounters various strange groups and societies.
Let's start with the positives. Jane Fonda, as Barbarella, gives a very funny, knowing performance. I think that actors sometimes have a hard time capturing a comic book character "vibe", but Fonda really nails it, making her character just slightly extra. It feels cartoonish but not one-dimensional. Most of the other actors fare pretty well in this regard, and the film's universe of character feels consistent.
More than that, the cast of characters is wonderfully eclectic: a fallen angel, a pack of feral children, members of a sociopathic society who worship evil deeds, and so on. Much more than the usual archetypes that often populate sci-fi.
The comic book vibe continues into the excellent costuming and set design. I had not expected that the film would look so dang good. The color scheme is really cool and there are scenes with surreal, creative design, such as a labyrinth where the people trapped inside are slowly growing into solid rock. The overall look of the film and the sets were easily my favorite thing about the movie and the most pleasant surprise.
On the down side, the plot definitely meanders. The film credits almost 10 different writers, and there's a very episodic feeling to the film. It creates a disjoint path to the conclusion, and the main plot itself (finding the missing scientist) often feels like an afterthought. When the film's final act does swing into motion, it's kind of underwhelming because the stakes have been so poorly established.
I also thought that for a sex romp/comedy, too much of the sex came off as "sci-fi nerd male fantasy." A main character who is really into sex, male or female, can be very fun. But the different scenarios were often kind of . . . sad? Here is why, according to
Barbarella, you might have sex:
1) You professionally thank someone for helping you. He asks for sex as a thank you. You're clearly not into it. He whines and badgers you until you agree.
2) A man needs a self-esteem boost.
3) You need someone's help. He expects sex as payment for that help (even though you are also helping him).
4) You are being assaulted/attacked.
Fonda does a great job of playing her character's sexual awakening and enjoyment, but I found the scenarios themselves kind of pathetic and unsexy, especially with the context of Barbarella's "cheerful naive" character. Having watched this dynamic be portrayed much more successfully in the comedy
WR: Mysteries of the Organism, it felt like a missed opportunity. The film's moments that actually come across as sexy are those in which Fonda is on her own, such as her "weightless striptease" at the beginning, or her infiltration of a hedonistic club. There's a weakness to her relationships with the other characters that dings the film that slow's the film's momentum and weakens the satisfaction with the plot arc.
Better than I expected, but could have been much better.