Barbarian. MA15+, 103 minutes. 3 stars
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
To what extent should we be expected to suspend disbelief? It's one of those questions that comes up a lot with movies. Accepting supernatural premises is fine, as long as there's internal consistency, and coincidences and stupid behaviour do happen, but if things keep popping up that make you start thinking about their plausibility during the movie, something is amiss.
That's how I felt watching Barbarian at Dendy. Writer-director Zach Cregger (none of whose previous work I've seen) obviously has talent but maybe next time he should take on a co-scripter to iron out some of the wrinkles that often arise when writing. I'd say that in this movie the direction is stronger than the screenplay: the latter develops more flaws as the film progresses.
Some of it is reminiscent of other horror movies, including Psycho. I don't think I've seen a movie - horror or otherwise - that has people use the bathroom so often in a realistic way: most movie characters must have bladders the size of medicine balls since they don't do it unless it's important for the story (think of John Travolta's character in Pulp Fiction: every time he goes to the loo, something bad happens).
It begins well. Tess (played by seasoned TV actor Georgina Campbell) arrives one rainy night at an Airbnb in a grotty area of Detroit, as she has a job interview the following day.
It turns out the place has been double-booked and there's someone already there. He's Keith, and casting Bill Skarsgard in the role was a cunning move: he is, of course, best known as the evil clown Pennywise in the It movies, so even though he seems perfectly normal - pleasant and obliging, even - the audience is primed to expect the worst.
Encountering a stranger in such a situation would be offputting for many, but for a woman finding a strange man there, would be even more so.
Cregger keeps what could be a mundane situation - two people talking in a confined space - interesting and suspenseful, aided by his actors. Is Keith just being considerate when he suggests she stay in the bedroom and he'll take the couch? Is his offer of a cup of tea simply the kind gesture it appears to be?
Horror fans can find out all this and more for themselves, but it's no spoiler to say there's a lot more to this place than meets the eye.
And when I say a lot, I mean a lot - someone at some point went to a lot of trouble to construct an elaborate and extensive subterranean area. Going into strange dark places is never a good idea but, of course, it's irresistible in horror films - and we want the characters to do it even as we're thinking they shouldn't.
The second "act" involves arrogant and sleazy Hollywood TV star AJ (Justin Long, cast somewhat against type). He's been fired from a new TV series after sexual allegations from one of the other actors and - here's the connection - he owns the Airbnb the other characters are in and flies to Detroit to begin the process of selling it to pay for legal fees. Again, it's no spoiler to say he soon has much more pressing problems.
There are twists and turns and subverted expectations, always good to see in a genre that often relies on familiar tropes and gross-outs.
This film has both but often uses them cleverly, with a bit of a wink. Not always though - there are annoying conveniences, like doors that can or can't be opened as the plot dictates, and dubious ideas - that someone could build an elaborate labyrinth under a house and it not be noticed or remembered beggars belief, even in decaying Detroit (it's not flatteringly portrayed). And that's just to cite a couple that came to mind while viewing.
Horror fans should check out Barbarian. It is a well-acted, well-made horror movie with atmosphere and fine settings that's genuinely absorbing. The characters played by Campbell, Skarsgard, and Long are believable and well enough developed that we're interested in more than seeing if and how they will die. If only the film's last third or so had fulfilled the promise of the earlier portions.