Sam Raimi-Approved: This 2022 Horror with a Near-Perfect Tomatometer is a Must-Watch
There's no good reason why this movie isn't talked about more.
Summary
- Sam Raimi knows a thing or two about horror movies.
- This movie scores high on Rotten Tomatoes.
- It was the solo directorial debut of its director and a box office success.
Sam Raimi has produced and directed some major MCU films in recent years. Before that, he was known for everything from revisionist Westerns like The Quick and the Dead to 1980s comedies like Crimewave and Easy Wheels.
But the movie that really got him noticed was probably Evil Dead. Released in 1981, the independent horror is now a cult classic that has been endorsed by the likes of Stephen King.
So it should come as no surprise that Sam Raimi understands the horror genre. Which gives his support of this 2022 horror movie a lot of gravitas.
This movie has a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Released in the year 2022, Barbarian is a horror flick that is so close to reality that it can also be considered a thriller. While we can all agree that the likes of Scream are too far removed from our own lives to be anything but fantasy, this movie has an essence of authenticity that's hard to shake.
It has a near-perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus being that it's 'smart, darkly humorous, and above all scary (and) offers a chilling and consistently unpredictable thrill ride for horror fans.'
Sam Raimi agrees, calling it 'fantastic' during an appearance at WonderCon alongside Moritz Mohr.
What's it about?
Barbarian is ultimately about dark secrets. It tackles some difficult subjects, such as sexual abuse and its aftermath. It would be wrong to call it a 'nice' watch, but it's compelling, thought-provoking, and has a lot to say about some of the major news stories of the past few years without directly aligning itself with them.
British actress Georgina Campbell plays Tess, a young woman who arrives at an Airbnb to find that it's already been rented by Keith (Bill Skarsgård). Initially wary of Keith, Tess eventually agrees to stay in the house because she has a job interview the next day. Keith sleeps on the couch while she takes the bedroom, but something about the house doesn't make sense. After her interview, Tess returns to the house and makes a shocking discovery.
The audience score for Barbarian on RT is 71%, with the consensus being: 'The less you know going into Barbarian, the better -- but be prepared for an ending that might rub you the wrong way.'
So, without giving anything away, trust me, it doesn't take the twists you're expecting.
It's won multiple awards
Barbarian may not have hit the mainstream psyche the way some movies do. There doesn't seem to have been a time when it was the movie everyone was talking about.
That's not a reflection on how good it is or the message it conveys. The film was recognized in the industry and especially within its genre.
It was nominated for a total of 11 horror awards in 2022 and 2023, winning gongs for Best Horror Film at the Portland Critics Association Awards, Best Horror Film at the Phoenix Critics Circle, Best Horror Film at the Critics Choice Super Awards, and Best Horror/Thriller Trailer Byte for a Feature Film at the Golden Trailer Awards.
A huge success for a fresh-out-of-the-box director
The movie was written and directed by Zach Cregger and was his first movie without a co-director. He previously worked with Trevor Moore on Miss March (2009) and The Civil War on Drugs (2011).
Cregger also has an acting role in Barbarian, which has a relatively short running time of just 102 minutes. The film grossed $45 million against a budget of only $4.5 million.