I feel lucky when it comes to Barbarian because I managed to see it without having it spoiled for me. I will try to do the same during this review. One of the biggest surprises for me was that it was written and directed by Zach Cregger. I was pretty big fan of Whitest Kids U Know. I had even seen the movie that he had directed with Trevor Moore called Miss March. This adds even more to the argument that a background in comedy makes for quality horror.
Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long really lead the movie. Each of them are just as fantastic as you expect, though I didn’t know Georgina Campbell right off hand before this movie. I’m a fan of hers now because of her performance. Richard Brake, Matthew Patrick Davis, Kurt Braunohler, Kate Bosworth, and Sara Paxton are all fantastic in the supporting roles. Some of the supporting roles might give some of the surprise away but it doesn’t really reveal anything.
The practical effects are so fucking good. There were some that got a physical reaction from me. Like I was completely surprised by what was done in the movie. The set design was top notch. The costume design is also top notch. Both fit the movie perfectly. The music by Anna Drubich is amazing. It matches perfectly with the movie’s pace of building tension.
Barbarian is an amazing movie that will keep you on your toes. The fact that this movie came out of nowhere gives credence to 2022 being a great year for horror movies. I hope that I’ve avoided any plot points as to not even possibly spoil anything, because what little I knew about the movie was from the plot synopsis on HBO Max. I give Barbarian 9.5 rolls of toilet paper out of 10.