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Some movies masquerade as something else entirely at first, like wildly popular (2022) which surprises the viewer a fair few times. Ignore everything else: the underground labyrinths, body horror, and generational trauma lurking beneath a Detroit rental property, and what remains as the first act is a perfectly constructed romantic comedy. The film's opening scenes operate as a textbook first encounter scenario that would make romantic filmmaking queen Nancy Meyers proud, complete with all the genre's ingredients: an awkward situation, attractive strangers, fizzing chemistry and enough sexual tension to power the entire state of Michigan.

When Tess (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Airbnb in the middle of a thunderstorm, she discovers Keith (Bill Skarsgård) has already checked in through a different booking platform. .

The stormy night setting is lifted from the romantic comedy playbook, where rainfall has long been cinema's shorthand for amour, from The Notebook to Four Weddings and a Funeral, with Cregger using it to that effect. When Keith opens the door to find Tess drenched and stranded, the gesture of inviting her inside feels less like a horror movie setup and more like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

. Campbell brings a relatable openness to Tess. She's cautious but not paranoid, independent but not inflexible, and her performance captures the internal monologue about needing to trust a stranger while acknowledging an attraction to him.

In a place far from Nosferatu, Skarsgård delivers a charming performance. Casting the actor renowned for his terrifying portrayal of Pennywise was a stroke of genius. For horror fans, his presence creates an undercurrent of unease, but, resembling a romantic comedy structure, he's a tall, handsome stranger with impeccable manners and genuine concern for Tess's comfort. Keith reassures Tess, trying to put her mind at ease about his intentions, exhibiting the kind of thoughtfulness romantic comedies have always looked for.

Things get so good that the wine starts flowing, but soon, the lovey-dovey flames will be extinguished. Initially wary of each other, the pair find themselves relaxed in one another's company. They make the best of a bad situation, sharing stories and laughter. Conversation flows naturally, and both characters become more appealing to each other and the audience. Like a classic romantic comedy third act compressed into a single scene, the moment comes when the leads realize they're a brilliant fit. But is Keith on the level?

Polygon stated about the film’s first 40 minutes, "the biggest question is simple but compelling: Will the movie’s horror come from Keith, the house on Barbary Street, or maybe even both?" Cregger allowed the romantic tension to build rather than rushing toward the horror elements that certainly come to define the rest of the film.

Once Barbarian sheds its romantic comedy facade, it becomes something sinister and psychologically disturbing. . There isn't a gradual metamorphosis — it plunges into darkness that mirrors Tess's descent into the hidden depths beneath the rental property. The cozy domestic setting becomes claustrophobic and threatening, where you never quite know what's coming next. First Showing agrees: "In Barbarian, whenever such formulaic developments are nearing their next big moment, Cregger pulls the rug out from under the audience through sharp transitions that will leave any cinephile completely baffled."

. AJ (Justin Long), a disgraced actor facing rape allegations, represents how predators weaponize charm while playing victim, while Frank (Richard Break), the basement's original architect, embodies the extremes of male entitlement and control over women's bodies and lives.

The messaging is all the more potent because of the romantic comedy opening. . Perhaps the cruelest irony is that in another world, Keith and Tess would have had their happily ever after, making Barbarian's subversion all the more devastating.