Where to watch There’s Something in the Barn
2 1/2 Stars
An American family fulfills their dream of moving back after inheriting a remote cabin in the mountains of Norway.
Christmas horror is always a treat, and I’m always searching for new movies to add to the rotation during the holiday season. Unfortunately There’s Something in the Barn has its fun moments, but overall it’s slow, has a rather illogical ending, and can’t decide if we should root for or against the evil Barn Elf.
The first half of the film is nothing more than a fish out of water story about a family moving to Norway, some stabs at humor that feel generic, the script overall seems to be checking things off. The acting is good, but the actors aren’t given much to work with.
The horror bits in the second half are fun but generic. I’d love to have had a more fleshed out version of the elves, especially since I’m supposed to care about the main barn elf in the end. Probably would have made the switch in the end feel more organic and not just a necessity to have a more upbeat ending (even the characters don’t understand why they’re going along with it).
There’s Something in the Barn is good for a one off watch, but not something I’d see myself revisiting, and not interesting enough to warrant a sequel.
Directed by: Magnus Martens
Written by: Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, Josh Epstein
Starring: Martin Starr, Amrita Acharia, Kiran Shah