There are certain movies that are better enjoyed when going into them you know as little as possible. Surprise 2022 hit Barbarian is definitely one of them, which makes reviewing it particularly challenging. People who like thrillers or horror movies are almost certain to enjoy this, but a lot of that enjoyment hinges on not knowing just where the twisty plot is going to take you. Sure, there are tense moments and a few jump scares, but it’s the film’s willingness to repeatedly subvert audience expectations that makes it really stand out.
On a rainy night, Tess (Georgina Campbell) arrives at the Airbnb she booked in one of Detroit’s most rundown neighborhoods. Upon arriving, she discovers that a stranger named Keith (Bill SkarsgÃ¥rd) is already there, having booked the same house via a different app. Though wary of Keith, whose behavior is somewhat suspicious, she ultimately agrees to stay in the house, having nowhere else to go. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, sitcom actor AJ Gilbride (Justin Long) has just discovered that an actress on a pilot he is working on has accused him of sexual assault. In order to scrape up the money for his legal defense he heads out to Detroit to liquidate some of his assets, including the house that Tess and Keith are staying in. Ultimately, their stories collide and very little is as it seems, most of all the very nature of the house itself.
Barbarian is an expertly crafted exercise in misdirection. Every time you think you know where this movie is going it proves you wrong, pulling the same kind of bait-and-switch that Alfred Hitchcock perfected in Psycho. Georgina Campbell absolutely steals the movie and should be a star as a result, but SkarsgÃ¥rd and Long are both excellent as well. The script expertly mixes in some sharp commentary on male / female relationships in the #MeToo era and the sort of endemic problems that lead to urban collapse, giving us more than just thrills and chills, but the main focus is always squarely aimed at shocking the audience, which writer and director Zach Cregger (The Whitest Kids U’Know) does with aplomb. Every scene is expertly calibrated to keep you on your toes with not a single moment wasted, adding up to one of the most enjoyably bonkers horror movies in years. Barbarian is smart, scary, and funny, and really needs to be seen to be believed. ★★★★★
rated r for some strong violence and gore, disturbing material, language throughout, and nudity.
★★★★★ = Excellent | ★★★★ = Very Good | ★★★ = Good | ★★ = Fair | ★ = Poor
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