Film Review — Barbarian
Georgina Campbell winds up in serious trouble in Zach Cregger’s twisty-turny house of horrors
Zach Cregger’s horror film Barbarian has been largely well-reviewed and comes with the promise of 18 certificate/R-rated gnarly scares and gore. For the most part, it delivers, though I must confess at a certain point, it ceased to be scary for me, once I realised “Oh, it’s that kind of horror film.” But for a good portion of the running time, especially the first act, the suspense and dread are first-rate. Others may find it scary throughout, since what frightens varies from person to person. But regardless of scariness, the film is well-written, acted, and directed, delivering a solid slice of genre goods.
The plot involves Tess (Georgina Campbell), a young woman who arrives in darkness at an Airbnb situated in a derelict Detroit suburb. She is here for a job interview, due to take place in the city the following day. However, upon arrival, she discovers the property has been double booked, and that a mysterious young man, Keith (Bill Skarsgård), is already in residence. They call the agency to straighten things out but end up with answerphone messages. Because it is dark, pouring with rain, and there’s a convention in town (or so Keith claims), getting a hotel elsewhere will be difficult. For this reason, Tess agrees to…
