Summary

“There’s Something in the Barn” is a genuinely funny horror Christmas comedy that strikes a balance between ridiculousness and gore, making it an entertaining watch. The film’s engaging cast, who are all in on the joke, and its blend of Nordic mythology and modern holiday traditions contribute to its comedic success. While the horror aspects of the film feel excessive and overstretched, the absurdist humor and culture clashes between Norway and the US provide the most hilarious and satisfying moments. Overall, the film delivers on its premise and promises a fun and cult classic experience.

There’s Something in the Barn is genuinely funny. It’s a horror Christmas comedy that balances its ridiculous aspects and fun tone with plenty of gore and hilarity. Directed by Magnus Martens from a screenplay by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. Boasting an engaging cast, all of whom are in on the joke, There’s Something in the Barn is rarely excessive and always entertaining. Influenced by the 80s, the horror film isn’t afraid to get bloody, leaning into its sense of humor and happily making jokes about Norway and the US in equal measure.

The film follows Bill (Martin Starr), who inherits his uncle’s house in Norway. Bill thinks it’s a good idea to move his family there, including his wife (Amrita Acharia), a life coach, and two kids, Nora (Zoe Winther-Hansen) and Lucas (Townes Bunner). Their goal is to turn the estate’s barn into an Airbnb, but it doesn’t take long for Lucas to meet what locals call “nisse,” a barn elf that doesn’t like change, lights, or loud noises. Lucas tries to follow these rules in a bid to keep the peace between the barn elf and his family, or risk his violence and revenge for disturbing his home.

There’s Something in the Barn nicely blends Nordic mythology with modern holiday traditions. The film’s buildup — filled with comedic exchanges with the local police chief (Henriette Seenstrup), among others — is fantastic. If the film had carried on with the family’s culture clashes, interactions with the town’s locals, and their attempts at fitting in in a new country, the story wouldn’t have lost some of its momentum. There’s a lot of tension throughout, and while some of it is overshadowed by Martens’ rush to get to the big horror battle at the end, the film provides a few nice emotional and comedic payoffs that really work.

What keeps the film from reaching its full potential is the horror aspects. The big fight between the family and the elf goes on for too long. And while Martens doesn’t hold back on the gore, the final showdown takes up too much time and leaves the story idling a bit. There’s Something in the Barn is at its best when it’s poking fun at Norwegian and American culture, and it’s these culture clashes that make for some of the most genuinely hilarious, and silliest, moments between the characters. It’s easy to tell the cast had a great time with the material, and their comedic timing is excellent. To that end, the film’s comedy hits all the right notes before it’s overshadowed by the somewhat underwhelming horror-centric finale.

At the heart of the film is the theme of fitting into a new place and the challenges that can bring. There isn’t too much depth in that regard, but it’s baked into the story without hitting us over the head with it. The barn elf shifts between being cute and scared before unleashing the full extent of his rage. The escalation of the nisse’s rage is well-paced and measured, and the unraveling of his once-peaceful relationship with Lucas makes sense within the framework of the story.

But it’s the absurdist delivery and humor that ultimately rise above the film’s climactic events, bringing with it a sense of satisfaction and entertainment the ending doesn’t entirely bring on its own. Despite the loss in momentum at the very end, There’s Something in the Barn is a horror comedy that seems destined to be a cult classic. It ultimately delivers on its premise and has a whole lot of fun while doing so.

There’s Something in the Barn screened at 2023’s Fantastic Fest. The film is 96 minutes long and unrated.