The deceptively simple premise of Barbarian, the horror debut from writer/director Zach Cregger, is enough to induce genuine goosebumps. However, Cregger takes a creepy idea and concocts a breakneck tale of unyielding terror, giving audiences whiplash with each unpredictable revelation. When Tess (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Detroit Airbnb on a forcefully stormy night, she finds that there’s no key in the encrypted lockbox to let herself in. After calling the host proves fruitless, she suddenly sees a light turn on through a front window. Tess frantically rings the doorbell, and the recently roused Keith (Bill Skarsgård) awkwardly answers the door. Realizing they accidentally double-booked the same rental for the next few days, Keith immediately insists that Tess get out of the rain and take the bedroom for the night (of course, he’s totally content with taking the couch). Surprisingly, she agrees. Though few viewers would likely make the same decision as the film’s protagonist, Barbarian wastes no time creating a thick sense of dread that clings until the credits roll.
To divulge any further details of the film’s plot would thwart the winding, increasingly shocking narrative crafted by Cregger. With each terrifying reveal feeling fresher and freakier than the last, it’s encouraged to go into Barbarian with as little background and context as possible. Even citing Cregger’s horror references would serve to unnecessarily hint at jarring shifts in the film’s story, though comparisons to the work of fellow horror filmmakers James Wan, Tobe Hooper and George Romero are particularly apt.
While this review won’t be expanding on any further plot points, Barbarian offers up plenty of food for thought in its rancid banquet from hell. It’s got a biting socially-conscious undercurrent that addresses the bleak reality of existing as a woman in the U.S.—both past and present, whether residing in manicured suburbs or “shady” inner-city neighborhoods—even successfully weaving in a #MeToo subplot that doesn’t feel one-note or cursory. Even more impressive, Cregger incorporates this throughline with a heavy dose of humor, no doubt aided by his tenure as a member of IFC sketch comedy show The Whitest Kids U’ Know.
For a male writer/director focusing on the staggering prevalence (and constant threat) of sexual assault in our society, any of these jokes could have easily felt misplaced or inappropriate (particularly when it comes to a tangent involving a high-profile rape accusation). Thankfully, Cregger’s script is guided by satirical precision, ceaselessly raising the stakes while prompting bouts of anxious laughter. Of course, the critique of male entitlement is buttressed by stellar (and requisitely self-aware) performances by Skarsgård and Justin Long, who are perfectly cast in their roles. Though Skarsgård’s character acts with (somewhat suspicious) courtesy, the potential for evil is immediately ingrained in the audience due to the actor’s turn as Pennywise in the recent It movies. Long’s performance (and character, whom I won’t be elaborating on) is similarly aided by his stints in the horror genre, regularly playing characters who unwittingly stumble into horrifying scenarios, never emerging from the other side of these encounters unscathed. There’s no doubt, however, that Campbell is the true stand-out here, channeling terror and tenacity with compelling (and highly relatable) trepidation. All three actors delightfully subvert and cheekily play into the multifold tropes of their ever-evolving roles, an undeniable boon to the film’s dynamically twisty nature.
Barbarian offers a fascinating take on the oft-unspoken claim men have long believed they have over women’s bodies. It does an excellent job at juxtaposing banal excuses for gendered violence with ghoulish, heinous ploys to strip women of their bodily autonomy (and their very humanity), exposing the malevolent nature of this deeply ingrained cultural misogyny. With the wounds still raw from the recent repeal of Roe v. Wade, Barbarian’s fixation on the omnipresent threat of rape in our society hits as hard as it (hopefully) ever could. Never relishing in the very brutality that it denounces, the film has its heart in the right place. It refuses to depict sexual violation on screen, cleverly illustrating the pervasiveness of this miserable reality without exploiting it for shallow shock value. Yet, even with the best of intentions, Barbarian will mercilessly run you through the wringer, letting these fucked-up facets of America absolutely ravage the screen—and your sanity—for 102 remarkably tense minutes.
Director: Zach Cregger
Writer: Zach Cregger
Stars: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, Justin Long
Release Date: September 9, 2022
Natalia Keogan is Filmmaker Magazine’s web editor, and regularly contributes freelance film reviews here at Paste. Her writing has also appeared in Blood Knife Magazine, SlashFilm and Daily Grindhouse, among others. She lives in Queens with her large orange cat. Find her on Twitter @nataliakeogan