The premise for Barbarian is almost insultingly simple that its ultimate outcome feels all the more revelatory, thanks to writer/director Zach Cregger expanding on his narrative familiarity with intrigue, dark humour and unsettling terror.
A film that has two distinct halves but manages to still feel cohesive in spite of its shift, Barbarian initially sets up the dynamic between Georgina Campbell‘s Tess and Bill Skarsgård‘s Keith, two strangers who have, unbeknownst to each other, booked the same Airbnb in an attractive Detroit abode in an otherwise unruly neighbourhood. Cregger knows that this is a potentially terrifying set-up – sorry but Skarsgård is just a scary looking dude – so we are near-immediately on edge as Tess treads carefully throughout the house, unsure if Keith is a friend or foe.
Flitting between a possible meet-cute and a grisly murder-in-waiting, we know as an audience that something sinister will come to the forefront, and Cregger does a commendable job at making us question both Tess and Keith. Then by the time the film shifts its focus to the questionable AJ (Justin Long), an actor who seems to be embroiled in a sexual assault scandal, we’re even more confused and, quite frankly, nervous as to how all of this will come together and who is the true predator lurking within the Airbnb walls.
Because so much of Barbarian‘s enjoyment hinges on the unexpected, I won’t divulge anything further – apologies for the ambiguity of the review – as knowing any of the plotted steps would truly undo the film’s impact. What could have been a straightforward thriller between two strangers, Barbarian, as the title suggests, elevates to something more thanks to its self-aware sense of humour and knowledge of horror tropes.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Barbarian is screening in Australian theatres from October 20th, 2022.
