Fear the "Barbarian" - Movie Review

It seems like every year we get a horror movie that, shockingly, comes from a mainstream studio that is bonkers! The type of movie that will have people saying “don’t read anything about it! Just go see it!” 2019 had Ma, 2021 had Malignant, and 2022 brings us Barbarian. And how lucky we are.

Barbarian, like many great movies, gets right into the story. The film opens on a young woman, Tess (Georgina Campbell), arriving at an Airbnb on a stormy night. After struggling to get into the house, Tess finds that it has been double-booked for the night and someone is already inside. Tess is clearly weary of her temporary roommate, Keith (Bill Skarsgård). What’s his story? Why is he here? Is he even telling the truth? As the night proceeds, Tess begins to realize she has more to fear than she originally thought.

Just See It

Of course, I am going to continue the trend. I won’t be one of the “don’t read anything about it! Just go see it!” Mostly because then you would be closing the tab you are currently on, in order to read my review. But I will not say anything more about the plot beyond general thoughts. No story spoilers in the slightest, as the experience will reward those who go in knowing as little as possible.

And the experience is truly a reward. Barbarian is one of the most entertaining movies of the year.

Masterclass in Pacing

From the opening moments, we are sucked into the story and are invested in whether Tess will survive the night. Campbell and Skarsgård volley the dialogue in their scenes together so well. One moment, we are thinking, “he seems like a nice guy!” and the next, we are begging Tess to run out of that house. They play up the uneasiness that each of them feel about one another in a natural way. At times, it feels like normal suspicions and at others, it feels brutally uncomfortable.

As the film goes on, we are treated with a masterclass of suspense. Barbarian slowly but surely rises to a climax. And then? It does it again. It is a masterful display of pacing in horror and somehow pulls its tricks off not once, but twice.

Comedy? Horror? Both!

Beyond being creepy, Barbarian is also quite funny. This is totally unsurprising. Continuing in Jordan Peele, John Krasinski, and Chris Rock’s footsteps, Zach Cregger wrote and directed the movie.

Mostly known for being part of the sketch comedy group, The Whitest Kids U Know, Barbarian is very different from Cregger’s usual work. And yet the pacing and timing that successful comedians have nailed down is just as necessary in horror. Cregger proves once again that those known for comedy probably have skills they are not even aware of. He excels in making the movie what it is.

Barbarian really is a fun time at the movies. It is over the top, ridiculous, and extremely clever. Where this film goes is so unbelievable that you will just have to see it for yourself.