"Barbarian" review: Refreshingly simple, original, and resourceful
"Barbarian," 2022, directed by Zach Cregger ★★★ ½ ☆ Somewhere in between the ugliest, most inane bargain-bin horror movies and the largest studio titles like the latest “Scream” and “Halloween” reboots, there is a sweet spot. Usually, these "sweet spot" movies land a budget between one and six million dollars, and often, but not always, push the limits of gore and spectacle, assembling a the type of flick that gets put on late at night at a high school slumber party or, sometimes, if horror fans are lucky, a cult classic that warrants annual screenings. Admittedly, Barbarian, the new, highly original and compact feature from "Whitest Kids U'Know" comic Zach Cregger, doesn't quite earn that cult classic status, but it's an incredibly fun and gleefully gruesome theatrical experience. What is almost certainly Cregger's strongest element at his disposal is that of surprise. The plot first takes shape as an eerie vacation rental mix-up; protag...