Barbarian: It’s Not What It Looks Like
By: Mallory Johnson
I recently saw the horror movie Barbarian in theatres, and I really enjoyed it! The movie stars Georgina Campbell (Black Mirror, Suspicion), Bill Skarsgard (the IT movies, Deadpool 2), Justin Long (Jeepers Creepers, Accepted), and more. It basically follows a woman who travels to Detroit for a job interview. She arrives at her shady Airbnb and discovers an issue: it has been double booked and a man that she does not know is already staying there. She is understandably apprehensive…then discovers there are spookier things going on than double booked accommodations. Before I go any further, I want to give a SPOILER ALERT. I will try my hardest to keep this spoiler free, but I have a lot of spoiler-filled thoughts. Also, trigger warnings for: sexual violence, incest, murder, blood and gore, abduction, stalking, child abuse, gaslighting, suicide, jump scares, flashing lights, one use of a homophobic slur, pedophilia, nudity, toxic masculinity, violence against women, and a car crash.
I went into the movie having seen the trailer a few times, so I thought I knew the plot of the movie. But WOW was I wrong! The trailer is left vague on purpose which I love and added to the movie watching experience. It was not just a small plot twist or reveal at the end that I did not expect; it was the entire subject matter of the whole film! With brutal blood and gore and perfectly placed red herrings, there is absolutely no way you will see it coming. It also has some social commentary that I did not expect, and I am glad that I spotted it. It excellently shows male privilege versus female fear. There is one character that is forced to confront his own actions and this aspect is well done. There was not one point in the movie that I had any idea where it was going! So many movie trailers today reveal way too much of the plot of the film, resulting in a lot less shock factor when you are watching it. It was not necessarily a fun movie to watch, but it was fun knowing next to nothing about the actual plot. Because of this, I cannot talk much about the actual events in the film as it will reveal too much. The movie is filled with an eerie setting, mystery, creepy people, and social commentary that will stick with you long after you finish watching it. The song in the credits adds to the deeply unsettling true subject matter of the movie, adding a final punch to the gut.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend watching it. I also recommend checking trigger warnings before seeing it as it has difficult subject matter as the main themes. I give the movie a strong 10/10 and am excited to watch more movies like it in the future!