If you’re looking for another brilliant horror film in between repeat viewings of Weapons, look no further than Barbarian. Also written and directed by Zach Cregger, Barbarian is another thoughtful, frightening foray in the horror genre that inventively explores trauma in the most bone-chilling way possible. The film, which was a surprise hit when it debuted in theaters back in 2022, marked a major industry departure for Cregger and served as his directorial debut. Barbarian also features one of the best recent actors in the genre in a smart, subversive capacity. And lucky for us, it’s currently streaming on Netflix.
Videos by ComicBook.com
In Barbarian, young professional Tess Marshall (Georgina Campbell) checks into an AirBnb in Detroit to discover there’s already a guest there and that the house has been double-booked for the night. Tess is initially and understandably wary of the other guest, Keith (Bill Skarsgård), but ultimately stays the night — with Tess taking the bedroom and Keith crashing on the couch. While she at first thought Keith might be a threat, Tess soon discovers a series of secret tunnels in the rental’s basement that house a larger, even deadlier threat.
While Barbarian adheres to many time-honored tropes of the horror genre, and uses them quite effectively, Cregger deftly subverts many of the genre’s conventions. For instance, the first act is essentially one long dialogue scene between Tess and Keith. It’s a masterclass in tension, playing on our expectations of what a horror movie is supposed to be.
Furthermore, there’s also the fact Keith is played by none other than Skarsgård, who rose to fame playing Pennywise the Clown in the IT remake, which adds another meta layer of expectation about how the interaction will go. We spend the entire scene on edge, so when Tess and Keith’s first conversation doesn’t end with a murder or in an equally gory manner, we’re both disoriented and lulled into a false sense of security. In turn, it makes the reveal of the movie’s actual monster that much more terrifying and surprising.
Without spoiling anything, Cregger also skillfully makes Barbarian‘s monster a tragic figure. The movie would be just as scary and entertaining without the context of Barbarian‘s antagonist. However, Cregger’s inclusion of its circumstances, along with contrasting it with other “regular” characters in the ensemble, allows the filmmaker to make a nuanced statement about sexual assault that not only lingers with its viewer long after the credits roll, but also earned its place among the top horror films in recent memory.
For an independent horror film, Barbarian grossed an impressive $45 million worldwide against its modest $4.5-million budget. The movie’s success only becomes more incredible when one realizes that Barbarian was Cregger’s first horror project. In fact, he’d spent the last 15 years as a popular name in comedy, starring in the TBS series Wrecked and being a founding member of The Whitest Kids U Know, a comedy group that had an eponymous sketch show on Fuse. Given Weapons smash success at the box office, though, we doubt Cregger will be returning to his funnyman roots anytime soon, especially since he’s helming a Resident Evil reboot for Sony.
Barbarian is currently streaming on Netflix.
What are your thoughts on Barbarian? Let us know in the comments below!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of DC Comics -
Image Courtesy of DC Comics
