Cinemas are pretty barren right now, but the only wide release this week is bucking the trend of many films of late – it’s apparently great.
With 68 reviews counted, “Barbarian” is sitting at an excellent 93% (7.8/10) on Rotten Tomatoes. The Zach Cregger-directed feature has been praised for its smarts, laughs and scares and one of the best horror films of recent years.
In the movie, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) travels to Detroit for a job interview and books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double-booked, and a strange man (Bill Skarsgard) is already staying there.
Against her better judgement, she decides to spend the evening but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest. Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Brake, Kurt Braunohler, and Jaymes Butler co-star.
Here’s a sampling of review quotes for the film:
“Cregger remains one step ahead of his audience at almost all times, concocting a storyline that feels like a matryoshka doll of narrative upsets.” – Sarah-Tai Black, Globe and Mail
“Cregger sets up dozens of clichés and pulls them in genuinely surprising directions, brandishing his touchstones: American horror films of the 80s and 90s in the vein of Wes Craven.” – Beatrice Loayza, New York Times
“Cregger delivers an absolutely stunning addition to the horror canon. ‘Barbarian’ is a twisted little film, a descent into a hell that is so achingly human that it loops back around as a funhouse reflection.” – Leigh Monson, AV Club
“Zach Cregger eschews conventions to keep audiences on edge, making for one of the most delightfully unhinged viewing experiences in recent memory. A simple rental nightmare sets up an intense pressure cooker scenario with no limits to the madness.” – Meagan Navarro, Bloody Disgusting
“Barbarian” is set for release across U.S. cinemas from today with last night’s previews pulling in around $850,000 and the film on track for an opening weekend in the $5-6 million range.
