![]() ![]() In the characters’ efforts to escape, they toe the line between selfishness and selflessness, adding another layer of thematic exploration to the plot. The house really does feel like a character all its own. These transitions work because each new scene adds juice to the history behind 476 Barbary. Just when you’re at the edge of your seat, the film will abruptly switch shots to a flashback or to another character’s storyline. Cregger leans on jump cuts over jump scares. In fact, if you’re in this for shock value alone, you might be disappointed. This added thematic layer gives Barbarian depth that goes beyond gore. He’s a perfect example of what Tess described to Keith when they first meet about how women and men approach situations differently. Justin, meanwhile, pulls out his tape measure to see if the dungeon’s square footage increases the house’s value. When Tess first sees a secret room with a stained mattress, camera, bucket, and bloody handprint, she’s filled with fear and terror. The juxtaposition of Justin against Tess is stark and, at times, laughable. He’s forced to come face-to-face with his actions when #MeToo allegations get him fired, forcing him to visit and prepare to sell the property. AJ owns this house, but as a high-profile celebrity with bigger and better things to do than maintain a small-town rental home, it’s been a minute since he checked out what was cooking beneath its foundation. Now onto the delight and comedic relief: Justin Long’s AJ - a pompous, self-indulgent, hedonistic tool of a human who’s cruising down a beachside highway while our lovebirds battle what’s creeping below 476 Barbary. Tess tries to escape the mysterious horror of the house. It makes sense, given the producing team behind Barbarian includes alumni of It, The Grudge, and, yes, The Ring. Let’s just say, if you felt drawn to the ghastly black-haired girl who crawled out of TV screens in The Ring, you’ll spot some parallels here. It’s a force equal parts evil and misunderstood -the best kind of mystery for a horror movie, in my opinion - and it comes for both Tess and Keith. I won’t spoil the details but, rest assured, what lurks in that black hole is not something you’re expecting given the movie’s setup. (Her exact words upon making this discovery: “Nope!”) Tess heads off to her job interview and, when she returns, a trip to the basement to grab some extra toilet paper reveals a hidden door covering an abyss that Tess is wise enough not to explore - at least at first. Again, if it wasn’t for the eerie music, this is the kind of thing hopeless romantics would swoon over. The duo’s night ends with them struggling to get a freshly washed duvet cover on - gentleman Keith throws in a load of laundry when Tess insists she has “a thing about clean sheets” - and their morning begins with a sweet be-back-soon note he leaves on the coffee table next to the couch he slept on. Here, you might expect director Zach Cregger’s Barbarian to go the expected love-interest-turned-murderer route, à la Hulu’s recent Fresh. ![]()
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