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At the Movies

 I really liked "Barbarian," which is a crafty horror movie, a movie with ideas.


A woman arrives at an air-b-n-b in a terrible portion of Detroit; neighboring houses are falling down. Rain is pouring. The woman knocks and discovers that someone is already in her rental; it's Bill Skarsgard, the horrifying clown from "It." The woman believes she should leave--but where will she find shelter? There is a big convention in town; the guests are eating up all the hotel space. 

An uneasy night follows; you aren't sure what Bill S. will do, and a malfunctioning lock becomes a major character (at least for a few minutes). 

Just when the story can't get any more uncomfortable, an abrupt shift takes you to a coastal town, where Justin Long is driving along and arguing with his agent. One fun question is: how can Long relate to the Bill S. story? Additionally, Long is so likeable; he has been in frothy comedies with Drew Barrymore! Surely, Long's role in this new story can't be nefarious? Or can it?

In horror movies, often, we know exactly whom to root for, and whom to hate. Neve Campbell is good; Ghostface is bad. But a big part of the pleasure in "Barbarian" is that you're generally not sure what the people around you are thinking and feeling (as in actual life). Whom can you trust?

So many movies seem to have been stitched together in factories; it's nice when a writer tosses aside the "Hero's Journey" template, for one or two hours. I hope "Barbarian" will inspire some young filmmakers. That would be extra icing on a good cake.
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