Come for the direction of 'Barbarian,' not the story
20th Century Studios
To call writer-director Zach Cregger the next M. Night Shyamalan would be 1. a little mean, 2. not exactly accurate but also 3. partially a compliment. This is because 1. (Google “M. Night Shyamalan filmography”) 2. The script of “Barbarian” isn’t terrible, just underwhelming and 3. In his first horror directorial effort (Cregger also co-directed “Miss March,” a very, very different movie), the filmmaker immediately asserts himself as a stylist whose work could get some onboard next time through his name alone.
And I realize that some people don’t care about story, that a transporting cinematic experience like “Gravity” is enough for some, narrative be damned. Not me. I appreciated many of Cregger’s moves throughout “Barbarian” while wondering if the director and screenwriter—just to be clear, same guy—ever met to ensure each person’s work was enhancing the other’s. Unfortunately this wildly hyped, often subterranean effort is merely a far-fetched, poorly conceived idea directed incredibly well.
The opening act is a highly promising and suspenseful tiptoe toward possible disaster, as Tess (Georgina Campbell) arrives at a Detroit Airbnb and finds it already occupied by Keith (Bill Skarsgard, aka “It”). Discomfort and uncertainty abounds, aided by exacting performances. But the more Cregger allows the movie’s narrative to spread out of and underneath the house, the less effective it becomes, utilizing a clever structure but failing to maintain the impact of the first section. Justin Long appears late in the film and is strong as well, but his character (and any discussion of Detroit and lack of powerful investment in struggling communities) isn’t achieving the individual/societal indictment that the filmmaker seems to think.
Some of this could be forgiven if there weren’t so many moments of foolish choices and stretched credibility. Even if horror movies demand a loose relationship with disbelief, “Barbarian” requires its characters to pursue absolutely outrageous curiosity while ignoring details that are impossible as well. There’s dumb, and there’s too dumb. Eventually the movie neither makes any sense nor turns into the mind-blowing finale that Cregger wants. It’s weird and mysterious and dark and violent, but that doesn’t necessarily make it good.
Next time, count on the writing to match the direction. Hopefully.
C
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