Barbarian (Film Review)

2022 20th Century Studios
Written and Directed by: Zach Cregger
Starring: Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 107 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 7/10

Tess has a big job interview in Detroit, and decides to book an Airbnb. Unfortunately, she's not only booked a house in one of the most blighted, terrifying neighborhoods in Detroit, but after running through the late night rain to the house keybox, she finds it completely devoid of a house key. The house itself, though? It's not empty. A tall 20-something man named Keith has somehow double-booked the house along with Tess. He agrees to sleep on the couch and give Tess the bedroom, and despite the situation at first seeming imposing and a bit scary, Tess finds Keith a charming person who shares several of her interests. The next day Tess heads downtown for her interview and it goes well, though her possible future boss is horrified when she finds out at what neighborhood Tess is staying. Tess shrugs off the warning, but sure enough, when she gets back to her Airbnb on the seemingly abandoned street, a vagrant runs at her, while screaming for her to stay away from the house. Instead, Tess runs and locks herself inside, waiting for Keith to return. In the meantime, she somehow accidentally locks herself in the basement, with her phone and the house key upstairs. Upon investigation, the basement reveals a secret passageway to a tunnel that contains what looks to be a jail cell, with a dirty bed, video camera and bloody handprints within. Tess then hears Keith arrive home, and the two are able to open a basement window so that she can get out...but when she tells Keith of the passage, he wants to investigate. And that's when things get crazy.
Barbarian has grown by word of mouth, and that word of mouth is "This movie is nuts, and just explaining the plot past the first 20 minutes is spoiling it." I agree, and that's where my synopsis stopped. I won't pretend like the film's numerous twists and turns afterward didn't thrill me because I was admittedly on the edge of my seat and shouting profanities at the screen for the majority of its next 80 minutes. 

Zach Cregger has written and directed a bonafide unpredictable film. My 8/10 score above is entirely based upon that first viewing, which might just be the best first viewing I've had of a horror film so far this decade. The production values, the direction, the dialogue, the acting...I loved all of it.
With that said, I can't help but play devil's advocate with a few things. For instance, will the film still be thrilling when I know what's coming? Will the bizarre plot hold together when I have time to actually think about it? If anyone else has stayed at this house, and what a certain character says happens at night all the time does happen at night all the time, what happened to everyone else who has stayed at the house? Are there any deeper merits or themes here? Something about how society leaving certain areas to rot will eventually catch up to society? I'm not sure, and maybe one day I'll watch Barbarian again and find that any answers I find to these questions are unsatisfactory. 

For today, though, I'm sticking with my 8/10. 

EDIT: Alright, It's a 7/10