Why Barbarian Is Horror's Unexpected Masterclass Before It Vanishes From Netflix

When Zach Cregger’s directorial debut Barbarian dropped onto Netflix, it came with a deceptively simple premise: a woman shows up at her Airbnb late at night only to find another guest already inside. Sounds like a by-the-numbers thriller setup, right? Wrong. What unfolds is nothing short of a genre-defying experience that has left horror fans divided between shrieks of terror and uncontrollable laughter.

The film currently sits at an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes—a score that rivals Hereditary (90%), Get Out (98%), and The Witch (91%). For a mid-budget horror flick with an unknown director, that’s extraordinary. The genius lies in how Cregger weaponizes the universal anxiety of trusting a stranger, particularly through the eyes of Tess (Georgina Campbell), a woman fresh out of a toxic relationship. Campbell delivers a nuanced performance that never falls into “final girl” clichés; her character remains perpetually alert, making every interaction feel genuinely uncertain.

Then comes the pivot. Without spoiling anything—and Reddit will thank you for going in blind—Barbarian descends into its basement and transforms into something entirely unrecognizable. The menace shifts from interpersonal tension to cosmic horror territory, and the tonal whiplash is precisely what catapulted this film into cult status. Critics praised Cregger’s ability to balance tension and release, with reviewers comparing the film’s inventiveness to the early works of Wes Craven.

Bill Skarsgård’s casting proves equally masterful. Audiences bring their Pennywise baggage into every charming smile he flashes, making his character Keith both trustworthy and deeply suspicious. Justin Long, meanwhile, crashes into the narrative as an arrogant Hollywood type whose storyline collides unpredictably with Tess’s journey. The ensemble chemistry ensures you’re never one step ahead of the director’s intentions.

What’s remarkable is that Barbarian essentially became the proof of concept for Cregger’s 2025 mega-hit Weapons, which has already pulled in $210 million worldwide on a budget of less than $5 million. The same principles apply: trust the surprise, embrace the tonal shifts, walk in blind. The horror community’s word-of-mouth cult following for Barbarian created the cultural momentum that carried through to Weapons.

Here’s the catch: Barbarian is leaving Netflix soon. For subscribers, now’s the moment to experience the film that had audiences simultaneously screaming and comparing notes on Reddit. With performances this sharp, a reputation built entirely on the thrill of not knowing what comes next, and a critical consensus this strong, it’s the rare horror film that feels like an event three years after its initial release.