A horror ‘masterpiece’ with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes is available to watch on Netflix. Barbarian is a 2022 American horror film written and directed by Zach Cregger in his solo screenwriting and directorial debut.
Starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, the plot involves a woman finding out that the rental home she reserved has been accidentally double-booked by a man, not knowing the dark secret within the dwelling. Zach Cregger was inspired by the non-fiction book The Gift of Fear, which encourages women to trust their intuition and not ignore the subconscious red flags that arise in their day-to-day interactions with men. He sat down to write a single thirty-page scene that would incorporate as many of these red flags as possible.
Barbarian has been characterised as having themes related to sexual abuse, incest and trauma, as well as different forms of misogyny. The film grossed £30.56 million in the United States and Canada, and £3.37 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of £33.93 million, against a production budget of £3.37 million.
On Rotten Tomatoes, 92% of 207 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5 out of 10. The website’s consensus reads: “Smart, darkly humorous and above all scary, Barbarian offers a chilling and consistently unpredictable thrill ride for horror fans.”
On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, indicating “generally favourable” reviews. Audiences polled by PostTrak gave the film a 70% overall positive score, with 54% saying they would definitely recommend it.
According to Whip Media, Barbarian was the most-streamed film across all platforms in the United States during the week ending October 30 and the sixth during the week ending November 13.
A reviewer called Barbarian a “masterpiece” and “one of the most unique horror films I’ve seen in a very long time.” They added: “From its unsettling atmosphere to its jaw-dropping plot twist, the film keeps you on edge, constantly subverting expectations.
“What makes it so incredible is how it plays with horror tropes and then spirals into something much darker and completely unpredictable. The tension-building is impeccable, with every scene dripping in suspense, making you feel as lost and terrified as the characters.
“The plot twist? Absolutely mind-blowing! Just when you think you have the film figured out, it flips everything on its head in the most shocking and disturbing way.”
Another said: “Truly one of the BEST movies I’ve watched in a long time. It’s rare to see a movie these days that can actually surprise you.
“Incredible suspense the entire time- palms clammy, in a good way. The thrills/scares are broken up with some excellent comic relief by Justin Long, right when you need it.”