The release of “Barbarian” on streaming services coincides with your Halloween movie marathon. On October 25, HBO Max will air the gory feature film directed by Zach Cregger. The digital edition will also have previously unseen bonus sequences, behind-the-scenes material, and more commentary in addition to a 4k Ultra HD release.
As soon as the action-packed trailer for Cregger’s debut horror movie (which came in at No. 2 on Variety’s list of the best horror films of this year) was released in June, the internet erupted with excitement. The movie has earned positive reviews online since it opened in theaters last month, with the majority praising its spectacular jump scares, unsettling tone shifts, and the wild story turns.
The story follows Georgina Campbell’s character, a young lady when she learns that the rental house she had reserved is already inhabited by a stranger. Tess reluctantly agrees to live with Keith (Bill Skarsgard) in a run-down Detroit apartment against her better judgment until she discovers that the building is home to a monster that she must destroy.
In his review of “Barbarian,” Variety film reviewer Peter DeBruge stated that “Cregger’s sense for tension is so powerful that it’s hard to imagine that the director worked mostly in humor before “Barbarian.” However, underneath the surface is a wickedly warped sense of humor. One of the film’s most extravagant pleasures is the sight of someone (or something) rushing beneath the surface. Although audiences may be anticipating something otherworldly, “Barbarian” seems to be using “Psycho” as a point of comparison as it piles shock upon shock and gives viewers another mother they won’t soon forget.
HBO Max will start streaming “Barbarian” on October 25.
