Zack Cregger’sBarbarianis a fascinating American horror movie with an unsettling premise. Starring Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård, and Justin Long, it follows the story of a young woman named Tess whose search for employment lands her in a terrifying situation.
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Tess booked a rental home to tide her over before a job interview. However, upon arriving at her accommodation, she discovers that she isn’t the only tenant staying there. She decides to stay but soon discovers thatthis stranger isn’t the only presence she should fear.Barbarianis unique in how its story plays out. It is chock-full of shocking twists and turns that only a few other horrors have been able to implement to this degree.
10Hush (2016)
Mike Flanagan’sHushfollowsa deaf and mute young writernamed Maddie Young whose search for isolation lands her in a truly perilous situation. In an attempt to distance herself from reality, she makes a home for herself in the forest to focus on writing, but the arrival of a masked murderer renders her getaway a great deal more stressful.
LikeBarbarian,Hushis set in what should be a relaxing environment. Though Maddie’s experiences are lacking in paranormal elements, the sense of claustrophobia set up by the movie’s setting echoes the premise ofBarbarianexceptionally well.
9His House (2020)
Remi Weekes’sHis Housefollows the heart-wrenching story of two refugees who narrowly escape South Sudan amidst a war. They believe their troubles are behind them, but their new home has a way of reminding them of their terrifying past.
Bol and Rial are forced to suffer some truly terrifying events throughoutHis House, similar to what Tess experienced inBarbarian. His Housebegins to slowly incorporate more and more surreal elements as the narrative progresses, making it one of the most unsettling horrors of 2020.
8X (2022)
Ti West’sXfollows a group of inexperienced filmmakers as they set off to Texas to shoot an explicit adult movie. They arrive at a farm on which they plan to occupy the guesthouse, only to learn that the couple living there are somewhat unhinged.
Xdoesn’t rely on otherworldly phenomena to tell its story becauseit doesn’t have to. The premise is disturbing, and the characters are unsettling, with both working together to elevate the story. It utilizes many of the same themes fromBarbarianwithout overstepping or becoming too similar.
7The Boy (2016)
William Brent Bell’sThe Boytells the story of a child-minder named Greta whose profession leads her to an unusual job. After meeting the child’s parents, she learns that the boy she has chosen to mind is actuallya life-size porcelain doll.
As days pass, Greta begins noticing some unusual happenings in the house. The doll has started moving around as if it were alive. Most would flee from a situation like this, but Greta embraces it and stays, much like Tess does inBarbarian.
6Men (2022)
Alex Garland’sMenfollows Harper Marlowe, a recent widow, who journeys to Cotson for a brief holiday. The sudden death of her husband has turned her world upside down, so she believes that some time away from the city will help her come to terms with it.
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Though it happens slowly throughout the story, Marlowe’s world begins to unravel. The people she encounters on her trip exist solely to remind her of the reason she’s here, with some even trying to guilt her into believingher husband’s death was her fault. It’s an unsettling watch that echoes numerous similarities toBarbarian.
5House
Nobuhiko Obayashi’sHousefollows a young schoolgirl who journeys to her aunt’s mansion to secure an enjoyable summer holiday. Before leaving, her father revealed that he had started seeing someone, but Gorgeous remained skeptical about his girlfriend’s intentions.
Houseis ridiculous from start to finish in that it completelydisregards conventional storytelling. Each day Gorgeous spends in her aunt’s home further reveals the horrors lurking inside. It is similar toBarbarianin that sense but much more absurd.
4Don’t Breathe (2016)
Fede Álvarez’sDon’t Breathetells the story of an amateur burglary gone horribly wrong. Money, Rocky, and Alex take pride in robbing wealthy houses, but their attempt to invade a blind war veteran’s home in search of his cash settlement result in them being hunted.
Though the war veteran is blind, his survival skills are unmatched. The trio spends the majority of the film narrowly avoiding his clutches until they are all either caught or killed. The sense of entrapment in the narrative is similar to that ofBarbarianin that it doesn’t allow for any breathing room for both the characters and the audience.
3The Strangers (2008)
Bryan Bertino’sThe Strangersfollows a couple whose brief stay at a family vacation home lands them in the middle of a sinister game. They become targets for a group of murderers and, with nowhere else to turn, are forced to survive their attacks without help from anyone else.
The Strangerstakes its time in conveying James and Kristen’s story, further amplifying the movie’s horror elements. Its depiction of violence is mostly subtle at the beginning but becomes extremely gory and upsetting towards the climax. LikeBarbarian, it never shies away from depicting gruesome deaths.
Sam Raimi’sEvil Dead 2took the best elements from the previous movie and implementeda much more comedic approachto its story. It follows Ash Williams, an eccentric young man, whose brief getaway to a remote cabin led him to unearth some terrifying demons.
ThoughBarbarianis lackingin terms of humor, Raimi’sEvil Dead 2displays a variety of similarities in terms of its story. Themes of isolation are present throughout each movie, even if Raimi chooses to somewhat conceal them behind Ash’s comical nature.
1Creep
Patrick Brice’sCreepis one of the most unsettling films to ever grace cinema. It follows a videographer named Aaron whose quest for fame led him to meet a strange man named Josef. During their first encounter, Josef reveals that he has a brain tumor and, in the hope of leaving something behind for his unborn daughter, he asks Aaron to record a day of his life.
Creepis similar toBarbarianin that it follows a familiar premise. The opening of each movie alludes to ideas of danger without ever explicitly acknowledging it. It is only after each story progresses that the true horrors lurking behind their subtleties are revealed.
