I made myself clear on numerous occasions saying 2022 has been an outstanding year for films. But there was one specific genre that had a bit of mainstream “revival”, and it was the horror. With such films as Scream (2022, my review here), X (2022, my review here), Smile (2022) did well and now, Barbarian. And despite my hesitation towards Scream and the fact I still haven’t seen Smile, I know they were popular amongst the mainstream audience. That’s a point I must clarify before moving onwards with this review. The horror genre didn’t “die”, and these films didn’t bring it back per se. I know there are many, mostly B/C horror films made and released almost daily. But it’s been a while since we’ve had a year where mainstream horror films (and “mainstream” is the operative word in that sentence) were so accepted and seen by larger audiences, and most of them were original films, not part of any franchise (obviously besides Scream). As someone who likes the horror genre; I can only be pleased about that.
Out of all of these, Barbarian may just be the most unsettling one, as it’s not a franchise slasher or a flick set in the 1970s. It hits home because everything that happened in it could happen, and nothing felt that far-fetched. I am debating how much I want to reveal about anything, as this is one of those films that takes wild turns. You can say it’s almost three films in one that are tied together, and even that could be considered a bit of a spoiler.
I will try my hardest to be vague about everything. The film starts perfectly with one of the most terrifying sentences you can utter in the 2020s: “The Airbnb you booked is occupied already.” And of course, it’s raining, dark outside, you are a woman in a strange city and neighbourhood, and now you have to make a choice. Take a chance on the stranger, or try to get something else. I loved the first 45 minutes of this film, which was all about two strangers (Georgina Campbell and Bill Skarsgård) and their awkward dynamic. You may have some idea where this will go at this point, and trust me, no, you are wrong. Whatever you think, wherever you think this will go, you won’t see this coming; unless you have seen some spoilers. In any case, I would be delighted to watch just those two interact as their chemistry was perfect. And especially Georgina rules and carries this film.
Then something happens, and suddenly, we are following the owner of the Airbnb, Justin Long. We don’t know why yet we don’t even know he is the owner; we only understand that his character was “MeToo’d”, and now he is trying to convince everyone he didn’t do it and that he is a good person. You don’t even know what time this is happening, but everything becomes much clearer when he arrives at his house, the Airbnb. I liked this sequence but thought tonally; it was a different film, even though I understand why it had to be there, given what role his character played in the finale.
In the last part of this film, I won’t say who is there or who it is about. But yet again, this film changes drastically. And the more you understand that story, the more you will understand the entire movie. Then, the finale happens. And if there were one legitimate complaint I had about Barbarian, it would be this, as there are many “shaky hands” during this finale, it felt cheap. It’s hard talking about it without spoilers, but you will understand what I mean once you see it. I didn’t mind the character work; if anything, it confirmed whether Long’s character was good or bad; it just was a shame that such a unique, twisty horror (?) had to rely on those: “Oh no, my hands are shaking, everything is slipping out of them.” cliche. So this complaint isn’t about anything character related, more about their motoric skills (or the sudden lack thereof).
You may have noticed I put a question mark after “horror”, as that is genuinely what I thought about the most after this film was over. Barbarian, at least for me, was more of a thriller with some horror elements. But to call it a horror… All I am trying to say is if you go into it expecting a “proper” horror, you may be disappointed. Because the first 40/45 minutes are an excellent showcase of how to build on the unknown and how to showcase slowly; that something is wrong. Then we have some horror moments; after that, we have the Justin Long story, which is more plot-related drama. After that, we have the “secret portion” I won’t talk about, but again, not much “horror” stuff happens there (despite it setting up something disturbing). And finally, we have the finale, where when all cards are on the table, nothing much will surprise you or scare you. Don’t get me wrong, Barbarian is definitely worth seeing if you are up for something dark and twisty, but if you are a hardcore horror fan and expect “pure horror” from this film, you may be setting yourself up for a disappointment there.
I have briefly touched on this, but I need to talk about the first 40/45 minutes of this movie, and mainly Georgina’s performance. She nailed her performance and carried this film. From the awkward meeting and getting to know Bill’s character to the finale, where almost everything and everybody is against her, she shines, and you are rooting for her to succeed and survive. I hope we will see her in more films where she will be the lead, as she is capable enough to do it; she’s got the charisma, charm and talent to carry any movie.
Overall, Barbarian was a nice surprise in all aspects. From the many twists and turns the story takes to the lead actress, I enjoyed myself throughout most of this film. And had the middle section been cut down slightly and the ending didn’t feel as cliché as it has, my rating would have been higher. If you are looking for something that may leave you guessing throughout most of the film, Barbarian is a great choice. Just be aware it gets gory and, at times, pretty disturbing at other times, but the whole package is worth it.
That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!
Until next time,
Luke