A loose limbed sequel to his 1985 minor masterpiece, 'The Decline of the American Empire', 'The Barbarian Invasions' returns to its central protagonists 18 years down the line. 'The Decline of the American Empire' traced the contrasting opinions of four intellectuals, one of which, Remy (Girard) is now, 18 years later, dying in an overcrowded public hospital. As he slowly succumbs to cancer, his long estranged son (Stephane Rousseau) decides to go to the hospital before his father expires. Although hyper critical of his dad's lifestyle in the past, the wealthy financial whiz Stephane doesn't take the high morale ground. Instead he looks after his father with a rare zeal, helping him get drugs to dull the pain and make his passing easier. He also encourages his father's friends and some of his less salubrious acquaintances to make their final journey to meet up with Remy. And when this doesn't have the desired results, Remy's old pals have another trick up their sleeves.
Intensely dialogue driven, 'The Barbarian Invasions' shows a stealthy wit and perfectly balanced categorisation, all complimented by extraordinary performances. Refreshingly high brow, the film's spectacularly erudite conversation cover all range of topics, from the Catholic Church, health care with the odd barb (no pun intended, natch) towards American cultural imperialism. What makes 'The Barbarian Invasions' so enjoyable, however, is that Arcand has created so many interesting, rounded and morally flawed characters and allowed them to interact in such a glorious fashion. Give it a whirl.
