Barbarian, the new 2022 horror film written and directed by filmmaker Zach Cregger, hit theaters last weekend, and led the box office with a surprising 10 million dollar showing. Why is this surprising? Firstly, because Barbarian is Cregger’s first horror film, and secondly, because there was very minimal marketing behind it. 2022 has been a year filled to the brim with great horror films, and audiences that are already on high alert after seeing films like Scream, X, Fresh, and Nope, and are anticipating Halloween Ends, didn’t wait long before spreading the news of Barbarian‘s excellence. The film stars Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror), Bill Skarsgård (IT), Justin Long (Tusk), and Richard Brake (Rob Zombie’s 31).
Barabarian follows Tess, a young woman who travels to Detroit for an interview, and books an Airbnb in a particularly run-down section of the city. Upon arrival in the middle of the night, she realizes the rental has been double-booked, and Keith (Skarsgård) is already staying there. The two come to an agreement, and Tess decides to stay until the next day, with Keith offering her plenty of space and her own room. From there, madness ensues… but not necessarily in a way you would think.

There’s so much I want to say about this film, but can’t, at the risk of spoiling it. Story-wise, Barbarian starts off much like newer elevated-style horror films, like It Follows, Alex Garland’s Men, or Nia DaCosta’s 2021 Candyman. Scenes are slow-burning, creeping, and intense, with long, brooding camera shots that find more terror in the shadows we can’t see, than what’s in front of us. Cregger does a great job getting the audience not only attached to Tess, but fearful for her with every decision she does or doesn’t make. At a certain point, though, the film’s style changes, and a classic Wes Craven or Tobe Hooper- feel takes over, without making the transition too stylistically jarring.
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The acting is fantastic throughout. Georgina Campbell does a wonderful job. Her character of Tess is extremely relatable, and shows that even when people are cautious, smart, and strong, decision-making skills aren’t always perfect. Bill Skarsgård is a proven horror veteran at this point, and although his role as Keith is quite a bit different than his other horror-centric roles, his performance had me even more excited for his upcoming role as Eric Draven in the remake of The Crow. Justin Long gives a great performance too, and Barbarian is a perfect film for both those that love and/or dislike him.

Focusing on the technical aspects; considering much of the film takes place in dark environments, the lighting and camerawork was clean, clear, and smooth. I had no trouble understanding everything going on, which is an issue that a lot of similarly shot movies deal with. Much of the intensity was accompanied by a fantastic score from Anna Drubich, who had already grabbed my attention with her phenomenal work on the scores for Netflix’s Fear Streat trilogy. Simply put, the movie just didn’t feel like it was done by a director with so few projects, and with him producing such veteran-esque work, that’s music to any horror fan’s ears.
The shift from elevated to classic was quite seamless and continued to weave between the two styles throughout the film. The ability to jump between two widely different styles is not easy, and there aren’t many directors that are able to do it, or even attempt it. One of the only filmmakers that comes to mind recently who’s able to do this, is Ti West. The gore and practical effects were on point as well, offering both some truly disturbing and fist-pumping moments.

As a whole, the story was engaging and brimmed with intensity. Something that comes with a lot of recent elevated horror films is their unpredictability. It’s difficult to get attached to characters, because in the blink of an eye, they could be dead. Barbarian toes this line masterfully and keeps us clinging to hope for some of its characters. One of my favorite parts about the film, is its ability to be a wild ride, but not going too wild. There are a few moments that borderline silliness, but what classic horror movie doesn’t? I will say that I appreciate Cregger pulling on the reins a bit, and not letting things get too out of hand. Every time I thought Barbarian was going to shift into Malignant levels of absurdity, it geared things down, and left me smiling about the teased silliness.
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Barbarian sits solidly among the best and most fun horror movies that 2022 has offered. It was such a great surprise, and I can’t wait to see if Zach Cregger will continue releasing films in the horror genre. I totally recommend checking this one out!