‘There’s Something in the Barn’ Review: Elf On The Shelf Has Nothing On This Guy
Tyler Doupe'
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Of all the holidays, I think Christmas may be the most properly represented for horror fans. Between Black Christmas, Krampus, Anna and the Apocalypse, Violent Night, Rare Exports, Silent Night, Deadly Night, and countless other noteworthy offerings, there’s no shortage of quality horror films set around the Christmas holiday. After checking out There’s Something in the Barn, I can safely say there’s one more title to add to that impressive list.
There’s Something in the Barn is touching, hilarious, inventive, and entertaining. I had a blast with this flick and I think anyone who appreciates the juxtaposition of dark comedy and seasonal horror is sure to have a similar experience with this outlandish effort.
There’s Something in the Barn follows an American family that relocates to Norway with designs on opening a bed and breakfast in the barn adjacent to the familial estate they’ve just inherited. But the elf that lives onsite has no interest in vacating the premises and is willing and able to make their lives a living hell to ensure his home remains intact.
The idea of a family under siege by elves at Christmas is a genius setup. Much of the credit for the picture’s success belongs to screenwriters Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, Josh Epstein, and Kyle Rideout. But their script is brought to life by director Magnus Martens. Martens shows a strong understanding of comedic timing and juxtaposes that against just the right amount of sentimentality.
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Portions of the narrative serve as good-natured commentary on American culture. The central characters showing up in a foreign country, where they begin causing chaos without taking any time to learn about local lore or customs is a very American endeavor. But that piece of the narrative is not framed in a mean-spirited way, more so than as a playful and good-natured observation.
Even if they are a bit clueless, the American family at the core of the action proves to be very charming. The primary characters feel like a real family. They are endearing but imperfect.
Martin Starr (who first caught my attention via a strong showing on the Paramount+ original series, Tulsa King) is the standout of the core cast. His turn as Bill is endlessly memorable. He is essentially Clark Griswold in a horror movie. Bill is overzealous. He unironically wears ugly Christmas sweaters and he has no self-awareness. But his good nature makes it impossible not to appreciate him despite his chronic buffoonery. In one of his finest moments, Bill somehow confuses barn elves with zombies and thinks that because he has been bitten, he will soon become a barn elf.
Amrita Acharia is also quite endearing as Bill’s partner, Carol, who is stepmother to his children. She is eternally optimistic. Making her living as a life coach informs her perspective on absolutely everything. She is always trying to make lemonade when life gives her lemons. But that only carries her so far. It’s quite comical when she finally reaches her limit and her optimism goes out the window.
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It’s not just the family at the narrative’s core that’s memorable, however. The Barn Elf (Kiran Shah) makes for a surprisingly charming adversary. His backstory and character traits make him hard not to like. The bitter expressions he makes upon encountering anything he dislikes frequently had me chuckling. With that said, the primary adversary still rises to the occasion and makes for a worthy opponent when the narrative calls upon him to do so.
Although the elf doesn’t really raise hell until the beginning of the third act, I have no cause for complaint. It’s not as if the audience is left to sit around and wait for something to happen. The flick works really well as a fish-out-of-water family comedy until the proverbial shit hits the fan. And once that happens, things get delightfully messy.
Though the film is a bit more focused on chuckles than chills, there are still some great gore effects on display and a lot of creativity went into their creation. In fact, the picture features what might be my favorite icicle-related kill since Die Hard 2. Another memorable exchange sees a Christmas tree topper weaponized like a throwing star and yet another finds a snowmobile used as an unorthodox murder implement.
My only real criticism is that I would have shaved a few minutes off the runtime. There are a few sequences in the first two acts that could have been trimmed down for brevity. However, that’s a very minor qualm.
All in all, There’s Something in the Barn is funny, touching, and features a couple of truly iconic kills. I highly recommend giving the film a shot. If you’re curious to see it for yourself, you can rent or purchase There’s Something in the Barn on digital now!
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‘There’s Something in the Barn’
Summary
‘There’s Something in the Barn’ is touching, hilarious, and occasionally brutal.
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