'Barbarian' Review: A Savage Surprise Sam Raimi Would Be Proud Of
This review features minor spoilers for the film Barbarian.
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
For the audiences lucky enough to see it, there will soon be two planes of existence; before Barbarian, and after Barbarian. Or at least one would think so based on all the buzz the film has been building for the last month. Twentieth Century Studios’ newest horror film is admittedly a savage surprise, but not for the reasons you might expect. Everyone is strongly encouraged to go into this film as blindly as possible, and because of that, for the sake of this review, only plot points revealed in the film’s trailer will be discussed. And not to worry, those plot points primarily features footage from the first 20 minutes of the film and deliberately mislead the audience.
The film opens with a young woman named Tess (played by Georgina Campbell) arriving at an Airbnb late at night with the hopes of settling in and getting some sleep. A simple trip becomes quite complicated, however, when it’s revealed that the location has been double-booked and that the other inhabitant is a mysterious man who’s already settled in named Keith (played by Bill Skarsgård). It’s rainy, it’s late, and Keith is a little too awkward for his own good. So Tess decides to leave and let Keith keep the reservation since he arrived first. An adamant gentleman, Keith insists that she stays. There’s a bit of a back and forth between the two, but she ultimately agrees.
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
While Keith really does seem like a nice guy, Tess keeps her guard up by locking all of the doors behind her wherever she goes and even getting a snapshot at his ID when he’s not around. Keep in mind, Tess hasn’t seen the IT duology. She’s acting on instinct against someone who is essentially a stranger. The audience, on the other hand, can’t help but feel a natural sense of distrust towards Skarsgård. That simple casting choice not only elevates the paranoia you feel watching the film, but it also elevates the film into a class of smart horror that would make Sam Raimi giddy.
Interestingly enough, this is director Zach Cregger’s first foray into horror. Most known for his involvement with the iconic comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’Know, it is still unbelievable that he helmed Barbarian - in a great way. Similar to other comedians-turned-horror auteurs such as Jordan Peele and Josh Ruben, Cregger proves that jumping genres and breaking the mold can still be done - and with purpose too.
Like all great horror films, there is a socio-political message at the heart of Barbarian. It’s funny, it’s relevant, but the way in which Cregger delivers it is clever. Just as the trailer (and even the posters) tease, there’s a depth to this film that no one will see coming and that most will need some time to unpack.
The film literally and figuratively goes to dark places you will not expect. And just as cinematographer Zach Kuperstein effortlessly navigates the audience through the film’s physical darkness for the audience, actor Justin Long balances out the film’s emotional darkness with his signature levity. Long plays the film’s “co-tagonist” AJ, who arrives later in the film for reasons that should not be revealed or spoiled. What is worth sharing, however, is that Long steals the show with a tape measure in one of the film’s funniest and memorable sequences.
Courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
My only complaint about the film is that the climax is too abrupt. Literally five minutes before the credits rolled, it felt like the film was ramping up to be something even greater. That doesn’t mean the resolution isn’t satisfying. Simply put, it will leave audiences wanting more. But both Cregger’s concept and foundation are so rich here that it does seem like a franchise is inevitable.
In addition to being funny and frightful horror done right, it’s smart. Where most horror movies like to put monsters on full display, this film is more interested in exploring where those monsters come from. Are they born, or are they made? While the answer is obviously up for interpretation, everyone should certainly walk away from this film in agreement on one thing: no more Air-b-n-b bookings.