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‘Barbarian’ Doesn’t Meet Expectations — It Beats Them
Zach Cregger’s solo directorial debut is frighteningly smarter, more deliberate, and more patient than us.
Barbarian didn’t immediately grab my attention on paper, but its trailer sure did. Specifically, I loved the reaction it got from the audience. It wasn’t just the bleak setup of Woman Willingly Stays in House with Strange Guy, though that did earn a groan from me. I liked that once the reveal is made — that there’s something hellacious happening in the basement of this Airbnb — the trailer then withholds any satisfying visuals to address our unease. Instead, it appeals to our knowledge of existing horror with a few familiar credits, each eliciting a progressively louder chorus of “hell no!” from my fellow theater mates:
From a Producer of IT…
And an Executive Producer of THE GRUDGE…
… And THE RING…
I’m genuinely excited to say that the film itself takes the same approach. It’s a Pandora’s Box that unfolds like the most baffling game of Whack-A-Mole you’ve ever played— every time you think you know how to handle one part, some other new, sickening, hilarious, and jaw-dropping thing oozes out for your consideration. Barbarian is how you kick off Spooky Season, friends.
