Barbarian

It’s a fine thing that Disney+ is debunking the myth of family VoD and premiering interesting horror movies. But Barbarian is overhyped. Screenwriter and director Zach Cregger enjoys playing with form and he respectably builds up the suspense associated with the unknown in the first third of the film. But the later uncovering of the mystery reveals the creative weakness of merely borrowing key elements from the groundbreaking works of the genre and slides into unintentional self-parody in the climax, while thinking it’s cool. This should have been made by an inventive butcher, ideally with European roots, who wasn’t afraid to exploit the potential of the terrifying content of the videotapes. (11/06/2022)

Detroit's urban decay alone is haunting enough without the need for boogiemen, monsters, or mutants to spice things up. Yet, that's exactly where this film takes us. Surprisingly, it's not about the inhabitants of the city, human or otherwise, but rather centers around a single house. In that regard, the movie had promise, weaving together three distinct storylines. However, the monster itself was pretty underwhelming. It's the kind of thing that might leave the average American reaching for the ammonia, but for me, it just felt like a letdown. I couldn't help but think, "Really?" I was disappointed that the three narratives didn't intertwine in a more inventive manner. There was potential here, but it felt like the creators took the easy route. And as we all know, the path of least resistance seldom leads to greatness. It's a shame because this film had all the makings of thriller with potential. But when Justin Long popped up on screen, I had a sinking feeling. You know the drill - Jeepers Creepers, Tusk... / Lesson learned: Unpleasant places might seem cozier in the dark. 3*+ (05/07/2024)

I can't deny the film's style, ideas and the great feeling of the unknown I had while watching it. Unfortunately, I have to criticize it for being terribly, terribly long, and the longer it gets, the more bloated and annoying it seems to me. And considering the way it's written, I think it would work much better as a series. At least for me. (10/28/2022)

The concise first third of Barbarians with the wonderful Bill is great; the second has an unexpected comedic edge (I roared with laughter at the twist from jump-scare to reality farce), and the third is a mishmash, but... the original mix of inverse home invasion, lactation instruction, collecting of VHS snuff flicks, drama about cruel motherhood and black comedy about the MeToo movement simply kept me watching, even though some of the dramaturgical choices are very dubious and the film barely holds together in places. As another entry in the canon of Detroit high-concept horror movies (the magnificent and in some ways related Don’t Breathe and the more allegorical It Follows are worth mentioning), it is indeed a more than respectable work. A place where society has collapsed invites the rise of barbarism. (10/28/2022)

Ignorance truly is bliss. Rarely today do I go to the movies blind, without the slightest knowledge of the premise or the cast. With Barbarian this was a double advantage because the question marks started piling up right from the first few minutes. It's a shame that the opening act is by far the best. Every little twist brings about a first-class thrill, and the last two minutes had me glued so tightly that I almost couldn't bear it. Unfortunately, the second and third acts, when compared directly, are a diluted, subversively told fairy tale that becomes weaker the clearer the who, what, and how become. When even the appealingly rational rules are violated in the finale, and the showdown begins so abruptly that I had to make sure I didn't accidentally skip fifteen minutes of runtime, it seemed almost a pity if you consider the massive yet rather quickly blown potential. (11/02/2022)