Barbarian

Barbarian (2022)

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"Barbarian" is the latest in a trend I've been noticing in horror lately... smartly written movies that mix wild, oft-unrealistic high-concept stories with a strong sense of humor and a touch of social commentary. Sure, these sorts of movies have existed in the past. Heck, classics like "Dawn of the Dead" are perfect examples of it. But thanks to directors like Jordan Peele, this particular brand of horror has become much more in vogue as of late, and that has made me very happy as a horror fan. As much as I love jump-scares and buckets of blood... intelligent horror is something that too many people have disregarded for too long.

Georgina Campbell and Bill SkarsgÄrd star as Tess and Keith, two young professionals who realise they have both accidentally double-booked the same rental home. Trying to figure out what to do, they decide to both stay the night despite being strangers... unaware that dark revelations are about to unfold. At the same time, a popular sitcom actor (Justin Long) is forced to flee Los Angeles after being accused of sexual misconduct on-set. He decides to begin visiting and selling off his rental homes to cover his mounting legal costs... unaware he is on a collision course with the same dark forces that threaten Tess and Keith.

"Barbarian" is a film that truly hinges on surprises and twists, so I won't spoil anything more. But what I will say is that this is film is able to juggle multiple tones and genres to a truly remarkable degree. It's been a long time since I've seen a film this genuinely scary - I'd go so far as to call the first 30 minutes one of the scariest sequences I've ever seen in a film, in fact - that was also able to get dozens of genuine laughs out of me. The movie effortlessly shifts from pure terror to dark comedy to other wildly different genres in a few key moments... yet always feels concise and consistent. Writer/director Zach Creggor, in his debut as a solo-director after having mainly directed for comedy, completely nails the film from start to finish. This is all anchored by the fantastic performances. Particularly Campbell, who commands the film and is one of the most likeable protagonists I've seen in a long time.

I really cannot recommend this movie enough to open-minded horror fans. It truly feel like it's destined to be a cult-favorite for years to come, and I can't wait to see what Creggor brings us next. This is an easy 5 out of 5 for me.

TedStixon

Other mistake: When Tess says good night to Keith, the lights in the bedroom are on, but the switch is down (off position) but when she wakes up in the middle of the night, the lights are off and the switch is still down. We see a lamp on the same side as the switch but even if she turned it off manually, being plugged into that AC outlet would mean the lamp would probably be off based on the switch. If the switch was up in both shots, it would be different.

Edward Douglas

More mistakes in Barbarian

Tess: Look, I'm not a Crackhead! I'm someone who's escaped being captured! What do you want me to say?

More quotes from Barbarian

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