Barbarian is a 2022 horror thriller film written and directed by Zach Cregger (starred in Date and Switch, Opening Night). It stars Georgina Campbell (Flowers, Krypton), Bill Skarsgård (It, It Chapter Two), and Justin Long (Dodgeball, Live Free or Die Hard). Arnon Milchan, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J.D. Lifshitz produce.

A young woman traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked, and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.

Barbarian made its debut in theaters on September 9th, courtesy of 20th Century Studios.

THE GOOD

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but as a horror fanatic Barbarian somehow snuck up on me. I knew it was slated to come out early September and that it had a great cast, but for some reason I sort of initially dismissed it as yet another more thriller than horror film which we seem to be getting a lot of lately. Now don’t get me wrong, Jordan Peele’s Nope (our review here) for example, which was fantastic, I wouldn’t really consider horror although it does have horror elements. It definitely lands more in that sci-fi thriller genre that borders horror which is fine, but still does not satisfy my craving for true horror. Now as September 9th fast approached early reviews began surfacing for Barbarian, and I was speechless. Without reading too much into them and just more or less looking at the general summary, it seemed this could be the true horror film I had been searching for. At this point I had the release circled on my calendar and I was antsy with anticipation. So, did Barbarian satisfy my horror craving or did the hype get the best of me? Keep reading to find out!

Barbarian filled me up like a productive trip to the Chinese food buffet, minus the stomach ache or night sweats. I’m talking 5 to 6 plates of food, and that is not even counting dessert. Seriously, this movie impressed me at every turn and always kept me guessing. From the score/soundtrack, to the acting, to the camera work, right down to the screenplay, it all came together. Going in without a real understanding of what the film would bring to the table was a genius move on my part, and boy did it pay off. I was on the edge of my seat from throughout trying to figure out who or what posed a threat to the characters, and the journey to that answer was quite an unpredictable and entertaining ride. Barbarian felt like a breath of fresh air, and it transported me back to the age of old-school horror. At times, I got 1995 B-movie horror Castle Freak vibes, and that movie literally contributed to 50+ sleepless nights during my youth. It is rare for a movie that makes it to theaters to push the envelope as far as what you would consider to be the difficult to watch content, but they did not hold back here. As a massive fan of the genre, I loved so many things about this movie.

A horror film can survive with average to below average acting, which of course is not the case here, but what it absolutely needs to have is an effective and engaging story, a tone that becomes synonymous with its identity, and a certain element of fearlessness in terms of how far to push things. Well, Barbarian has all of that, and then some. I can’t stand when a movie spoon feeds viewers assuming we can’t put the pieces of the puzzle together ourselves, but the screenplay forces and rewards you for paying attention and that was huge for me. I also have to mention what I felt was seamless and incredibly effective editing work as the film never missed a beat as this layered and fairly complex story was told.

I touched on it briefly, but the cast was a big draw for me. Obviously the biggest name that stands out is Pennywise himself, Bill Skarsgård. If he is playing a leading role in a horror film, you can pretty much bank on the fact that something extremely messed up is about to happen. But seriously, Skarsgård is awesome as usual, and definitely a big bright spot for the cast as expected. I wasn’t super familiar with English actress Georgina Campbell who takes on the lead role of Tess, but man she was fantastic. I was bought in to her character immediately, and without her ability to match the sheer acting talent of Skarsgård, Barbarian just does not work as well as it does. I really liked her character, and I thought she did a really nice job expressing a wide range of emotions during this wild ride.

The unsung hero for the film has to be my guy Justin Long, man it was great to see him in another big role. The Connecticut native has been a bit quiet as of late in terms of big movies, but he shows up here. I enjoyed his super weird character in the sitcom New Girl, but I will also picture him as Justin in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, or Dean in Waiting…, or even Bartelby in the comedy classic, Accepted. We can’t forget the 2001 horror cult classic Jeepers Creepers as well. Oh, and if you haven’t seen the 2012 coming-of-age comedy drama Best Man Down, it is worth checking out. Bottom line, Long usually plays a certain goofy big-hearted character which has always worked for him, but I was a huge fan of the fact that he plays a very different character in Barbarian. The supporting cast was great from top to bottom, and as far as Matthew Patrick Davis is concerned, just wow man, wow.

The technical elements of the film had me in awe from start to finish, they were just that good. The opening sequence set the tone for the rest of the film, making it very clear that score and overall feel would dominate as far as the technical side of things. The opening sequence is a dark and rainy night with the ominous score dominating the speakers, and all of a sudden the camera moves inside the car as we meet the first character in the film, and all of a sudden all we hear is what is the sound of the windshield wipers and the engine. This is a small thing of course, but it was a sign of things to come and had me smiling from ear to ear.

Aside from the A24 horror film X it’s been awhile since I have seen a horror film that placed such a premium on the finer technical elements. Plus, I absolutely loved the creative and intimate feel we get from the camera work. The way each shot transitions feels like you are right there with the characters, creating a genuine feel of unease which I thought was fantastic. So yeah, kudos to director Zach Cregger, composer Anna Drubich, cinematographer Zach Kuperstein, and editor Joe Murphy. They crushed it.

THE BAD

With a film like Barbarian that is such an original concept, its hard to criticize it for several reasons. Now the horror genre is unique on general, mainly because you either love horror, or you hate it, no real in between. I’m not talking about slashers or the typical jump scare horror films, I’m talking about the makes you feel a little dirty and sends chills up your back sort of horror. That is where Barbarian falls within the horror genre. This movie does everything extremely well, and has such a unique and complex identity that I was personally blown away by the more than meets the eye element of the film.

But, with all that being said, this is not an easy watch. I will literally watch anything no matter how messed up it is, and I was cringing during certain scenes. The film just sticks with you in such a way that if you are susceptible to nightmares after watching a horror movie, good luck because it is going to be a long night. I want so badly to be scared, and Barbarian made my skin crawl serving up an experience that I really needed. I feel like the bad section sort of got away from me, but bottom line, this is a tough watch but you will not catch me criticizing what they accomplished with this movie.

THE VERDICT

An unsettling and atmospheric throwback horror film more concerned with genuine terror than it is cheap jump scares, Barbarian is a breath of fresh air and will keep viewers uncomfortably on the edge of their seats. As I talked about in the review, I really didn’t quite know what to expect going into the theater, and there is no better feeling than the satisfaction I felt as the end credits hit the screen. The horror genre has been widely disrespected as of late, but Barbarian is a great reminder that it is still possible to deliver effective and satisfyingly original content that leaves a mark.

I want so badly to go into detail about the story and its many layers, but I refuse to spoil anything. You simply need to experience it for yourself, because this movie will stick with you. If you are a fan of quality horror films, get out there and see Barbarian in theaters sooner than later. I can’t wait to see it again.