A double-booked Airbnb booking that became horribly twisted: ‘Barbarian’ movie review

A woman in distress, an unfamiliar house and a spooky basement – at first glance, it might seem like Zach Cregger’s ‘Barbarian’ is just another horror movie that begins with a vulnerable character who takes a bad decision. But to think you understood “Barbarian” by its premise is a gross mistake when deception is the name of the game in this wildly twisted race.

“Barbarian” opens with familiar horror fundamentals. Tess (played by Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Airbnb on a rainy night, only to find the house already occupied by Keith (Bill Skarsgård), another tenant who claims to have also booked the house.

For horror movie buffs, Keith’s casting is already a red flag (Skarsgård notably played “It” clown Pennywise in 2017), another indicator of what could go wrong. After a few failed attempts to find a hotel, Tess decides to stay for the night, unbeknownst to the horror lurking within the walls of her Airbnb.

The second and third acts spin the film on its tail, skipping time zones and decades. Characters like a disgraced Hollywood actor (played by Justin Long), a homeless man (Jaymes Butler), and a sleazy landlord (Richard Brake) are introduced throughout the film to expand the story in abrupt and unexpected ways.

Revealing more about “Barbarian” will simply spoil the fun. Cregger knows what he’s doing, and what he’s created here isn’t your typical horror movie. Sure, there are cliches that come in predictable ways: eerie self-locking doors, dark hallways hidden behind a secret entrance, and questionable decisions that make you say, “Don’t go that way!” riddles the whole first act.

Yet Cregger has crafted a careful guessing game for the viewer and he is the mastermind behind it. Audiences will be kept on their toes with predictions and theories that will almost never come true as Cregger shrewdly subverts all of his viewers’ expectations. What you might expect is a presumption that Cregger happily plays with. Going into “Barbarian” as blind as possible is the best way to experience this movie.

If you must know more and dare to peek inside this haunted Airbnb, look no further than last year’s “Malignant” from director James Wan – “Barbarian” is equally camp, out of the box and horribly fun. Both films blend fun and terror into a wild ride that’s meant to be seen in a theater with other people (especially with the moviegoer reactive genre).

Unlike most good movies, “Barbarian” doesn’t necessarily ask to be taken seriously – rather, it invites you to have an entertaining time and it doesn’t have to be anything else. Still, having a deeper thematic meaning with powerful imagery and symbolism could elevate this movie to horror masterpieces like Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” or Ari Aster’s “Hereditary.”

That’s not to say “Barbarian” is completely devoid of any societal message. The film explores how sexual assault, gentrification, and ineffective law enforcement particularly affect women of color in both subtle and horrifying ways. Still, “Barbarian” isn’t the kind of movie that requires extensive metaphorical analysis to truly appreciate it, though you can find some juicy larger meaning if you dig deep enough.

There’s a lot more to say about the movie, especially after experiencing the true nature of the horrors lurking in Airbnb. But even if I could perfectly articulate what this film is about, absolutely nothing can prepare you for this viewing experience. One thing is for sure: wildly fun terror has never found its way into the horror genre like it does in “Barbarian.”

Rating: 4/5

“Barbarian” is now playing in theaters nationwide. Rated R for nudity, language, disturbing content, strong violence and gore. Duration: 1h42.