As plentiful as Christmas horror has become in recent years, not every ornament on the tree is shiny. There’s Something in the Barn, however, is more bright than others. This “fish out of water” and “culture clash” story shows a blended American family moving into a remote cabin in Norway. As the movie’s title suggests, the barn hides a certain something that will make this family’s Christmas unforgettable, not to mention dangerous.
The cultural discord lightly sets in as Bill (Martin Starr), his two kids and their stepmother (Amrita Acharia) come across an angry mama moose upon their arrival in Norway. Director Magnus Martens and writer Aleksander Kirkwood Brown want you to know the characters are out of their element, but in a funny way. Martens, a native Norwegian, doesn’t waste a moment to poke fun at both his homeland and America. His ribbing is never too offensive, though. Just some wry observations made by someone who’s lived in two very different places.
There’s Something in the Barn introduces its threat early on, which isn’t so threatening at first. He’s actually quite cute. Son Lucas (Townes Brunner) is the first to learn about the Scandinavian elf living in the barn, and after a local conveys the rules of having a barn elf, Lucas makes the effort to keep his new friend happy. In exchange, the elf does nice things for the family. The ironic thing here is, Bill moved to Norway as a way to get in touch with his roots, but it’s only Lucas who sincerely observes the customs (albeit archaic and superstitious ones). So not only is there is a gap between cultures, there is also a generational one. Had Bill been more perceptive — other than learning how to butcher the Norwegian language — he wouldn’t have gotten his family into a such a pickle.
The script doesn’t exactly break new ground as far as “disobey the norms of a new place, then suffer the consequences” stories go. It follows other similar movies beat for beat, including the “parents just don’t understand” slant. Bill’s surly daughter Norah (Zoe Winther-Hansen) naturally misses her friends back in the states, and her stepmother Carol (Acharia) proceeds to think her stepdaughter simply dislikes her. Of the two parent-child relationships here, Norah and Carol’s is the better written and more completed by the movie’s end. The character work here is generally more cursory than meticulous, but you’re here for killer elves, not killer writing, right?
As it was foretold by the ominous title, the angry elf and his friends launch a full-scale attack on Bill and his loved ones, which results in amusing scenes of melee combat and family bonding. It’s not long before the elves trade fisticuffs for party cups, though. If it wasn’t obvious from the start, There’s Something in the Barn isn’t designed to scare. Just the opposite, this movie has an overload of lighthearted moments that quash the chance for frights. The director and writer leave nothing to the imagination, and there is no tension to be found here. So the movie plays to its strength, which is sheer goofiness.
Anyone dying to see elves run amok will have to settle for something less severe. There’s Something in the Barn delivers on its promise, just not in the way a more serious horror movie would. Any shred of dread is diluted so that the movie ends up more wholesome than fearsome. Accepting that, fans of Christmas horror — who should already be accustomed to these genre comedies — will undoubtedly have a merry ol’ time here.
There’s Something in the Barn premiered at Fantastic Fest 2023.
Tales from the Paulside 
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