Lots of things in life are scary. But what truly defines something as “scary” vs. “true horror”?
Writer and director, Zach Cregger blurs the lines and opens up new landscape in defining what “true horror” can really mean. He proves himself to be a truly masterful and unexpected horror filmmaker with his new film Barbarian. It begins with a nightmare that could happen to anyone: a double-booked Airbnb. Documentary researcher Tess (an excellent Georgina Campbell) arrives at night in the pouring rain at a small house in a forgotten part of Detroit. And guess what? There’s already a guy sleeping there. His name is Keith and he eventually persuades her to stay until they work this out. She sees his proof of his reservation. He takes the couch. They later get more comfortable and share some wine.
Pretty soon, it’s time to check out the basement. And of course, as all basements go, they’re scary AF.
Cregger deploys fear in many shapes and sizes. It’s something he’s really good at. Often times, it comes from his very aggressive plot. And of course when the characters do dumb stuff. But it’s because they have. Because what type of horror film would this be if some of the character didn’t do dumb stuff? We’d want our money back…
One of the greatest things about this film is that the other Airbnb guy is played by Bill Skarsgård from “It”? This is further proof that casting is an integral part of filmmaking. But you already knew that.
Here, the former Pennywise the Clown from “It” uses his easygoing presence, those round eyes and his imposing frame to cause a lot of uncertainty. This uncertainty is quickly replaced with fear. His nervous and constant rambling makes the viewer feel so unsafe, the more you listen and watch.
You’re left wondering: “Skarsgård playing another dirty seducer?” The viewer gets a good dose of adrenaline from this question and answers it in one of the best scenes of the film.
“Barbarian,” a weirdly, twisty horror movie that reminds you of the old days mixed with real current day problems.
Tess (Georgina Campbell) and Keith (Bill Skarsgard) meet-cute when they turn out to be the victims of a double booking scam, deciding, against the smitten Tess’s better instincts, to share the rental. The house, decked out in furniture straight out of West Elm, would seem innocuous enough, but it’s also located in the middle of an abandoned, post-apocalyptic-looking Detroit neighborhood whose only apparent inhabitant is an unhinged homeless man who terrorizes the streets.
As expected from this kind of haunted-house thriller, the doors seem to open and close on their own, leading Tess to the one place any horror buff will know means trouble: the basement, where hidden passageways multiply and abominable crimes make themselves known.
Cregger sets up dozens of clichés and pulls them in genuinely surprising directions, brandishing his touchstones: American horror films of the 80s and 90s in the vein of Wes Craven. The scares are tempered by a comic punching bag courtesy of Justin Long as a sleazy Hollywood director who pays a visit to his Detroit property after sexual assault charges drain his bank account.
Cregger isn’t as concerned with making bold political points as he is with orchestrating a snappy spectacle that goes a mile a minute. “Barbarian” is all the more creepy — and fun — because of it.
“Barbarian” gets 2 thumbs up and is definitely worth checking out. If you’re scared of watching horror movies at all, try going during the day and going with a friend. Also plan on not getting any sleep for the next week or so, especially if you live alone. Who knows what you’re mind and imagination will come up with after watching this movie. Oh, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.