Film Review — Barbarian
Guests endure the Airbnb from hell in this off-kilter horror.
Two guests are forced to share an Airbnb, but inconvenience soon turns to terror as the pair discover an unimaginable terror lurking in the depths of the house.
There’s a lot to love about Barbarian — the twisted horror from writer/director Zach Cregger — seemingly following in the footsteps of friend and fellow comic Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us & Nope). Much like Peele, Cregger delivers an unexpectedly brilliant package, a gleefully gory shocker with layers of social satire that perfectly punctuate the terror.
On the surface, the concept isn’t particularly unique, sharing many attributes with genre classics. There’s also a welcome whiff of Carpenter to the proceedings, particularly in the shot choices and intimidating atmospherics used to establish the house and its hidden nightmare. But Cregger clearly has a natural talent for this kind of movie, patiently building the suspense to unbearable levels before unleashing hell with just enough left for our horrible imaginations to fill in the gaps.
The film’s unusual presentation might not be for everyone, but it does allow for the mid-point inclusion of Justin Long — in an inspired piece of casting — appearing as a shamed sitcom star who might be the biggest monster of the picture. Quite an extraordinary feat if you ask me.
Subtext plays a pivotal part, using still-salient elements of the #MeToo movement to enhance some of its more memorable moments. Brief touches on other hot-button topics, such as Reaganism, urban gentrification and police ineffectiveness, don’t land with nearly the same impact. A marginal failing from an otherwise excellent effort, although I’m not quite sure what Airbnb’s marketing team will make of it.
★★★★☆
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