When you've seen as many horror movies as I have, it's rare to find one that I can't spot where it's going from a mile away. That doesn't mean I enjoy them any less, of course, but when one defies my expectations — not in a cheap way either, but with genuinely chilling twists — I have to sound the alarm to other horror fans that this is one worth watching.
That's the case with "Barbarian," Zack Cregger's haunting horror thriller and first solo directorial debut. "Barbarian" just landed on Netflix this week (June 1) after leaving Hulu, and it's already jumped to the No. 3 spot in the streamer's top 10 movies list.
"Black Mirror" actress Georgina Campbell proves her scream queen chops alongside horror veterans Bill Skarsgard and Justin Long in a nightmare twist on a home invasion movie. It’s a truly unforgettable and disturbing film that takes such a violently sharp turn midway through, it feels like watching two movies fused together, yet it's somehow the better for it.
This is a horror movie made for horror movie fans. It's brilliant how Cregger uses casting choices and genre hallmarks to keep you off balance with each shocking new discovery. I'm not alone in thinking that either: In a rare feat for the genre, "Barbarian" earned a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Barbarian" is one of those horror films you're best going into blind, but if you need a bit of convincing before dedicating your precious streaming time (hey, we get it), then here's all the details you need to know about the latest hit horror movie on Netflix.
What is 'Barbarian' about?
The premise is deceptively simple: A young woman named Tess Marshall (Campbell) travels to Detroit for a job interview only to find her Airbnb has been double-booked. Its location couldn't be more of a red flag either, surrounded by a decaying, nearly abandoned neighborhood.
Her unexpected roommate Keith seems harmless enough, but since he's played by Bill Skarsgård (aka Pennywise in the "It" films), horror fans are bound to eye him with suspicion from the jump. Despite the alarm bells going off in her head, Tess decides to stay the night.
Naturally, things spiral from there. The pair stumble upon a hidden basement passage that leads to a maze of underground tunnels filled with chains on filthy mattresses, surveillance cameras, and blood-streaked walls. As disturbing of a picture that paints, it's the discovery of a monstrous woman lurking in the depths that turns their uneasy stay into a full-blown nightmare.
Another big name in horror — Justin Long, best known for "Jeepers Creepers" and "Tusk" — also joins the fray in a way I won't spoil. Let's just say, Keith and Tess realize they're far from the first to uncover the house’s horrors.
It all builds to some of the most stomach-churning scenes I've ever seen in a horror movie, but "Barbarian" doesn’t play it completely straight. Beneath the terror lies a sharp, dark sense of humor and twists on what horror fans expect that make the scares that much more chilling.
Stream 'Barbarian' on Netflix right now
While "Barbarian" employs plenty of classic horror elements that fans will pick up on, the film flips expectations in clever, unsettling ways that will trigger your flight-or-fight instinct as characters race through claustrophobic halls. It’s a sharp, unpredictable film (even if you think you know where it's going, trust me, you don't) that balances suspense and terror with bursts of well-timed humor that keep you engaged.
It’s not without its flaws, of course. The third act meanders a bit, and one big reveal was so zany I struggled to suspend my disbelief even as the action heated up. But even with those gripes, I can confidently say "Barbarian" earns a spot alongside genre standouts like "Get Out" and "Hereditary" as one of the rare modern horror films that genuinely deserves your attention.
Don't just take my word for it, though. "Barbarian" nabbed a 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, though audiences weren't as keen on i,t given its 70% on the Popcornmeter.
Slate's Sam Adams called it the "smartest, funniest horror movie in ages" in his glowing review: "'Barbarian’s' script thinks through its problems as much as it needs to, and no more: It knows that horror and logic are enemies at heart, and the trick is to make us desire the knowledge of what’s behind that door more than we care why it’s opened. Its best trick is that there’s more than one door.
Variety's Peter Debruge said of the director that "the sense of dread he creates is the stuff that the very best horror movies are made of."
Not every critic was as sold on Cregger's directorial choices, though. In a review for The Guardian, Benjamin Lee criticized the movie for gesturing at hot-button topics without saying much, describing it as "a defiantly unscary lump of Midnight Madness schlock that gains nothing from showcasing an awareness of the #MeToo reckoning or the damage of gentrification other than box-ticking."
Whatever your impression, "Barbarian's" arrival on Netflix couldn't be more perfectly timed. Cregger's next horror film, "Weapons," one of our most anticipated movies of the summer, is set to hit theaters on August 8, so it's the perfect chance to check out the movie that put him on the map. Given that "Barbarian" was both a critical and commercial success, I can't wait to see what twisted tale he's cooked up next.
Stream "Barbarian" on Netflix now.
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