Fantastic Fest 2023 – Holiday horror movies are a rare gem. It’s not every year that we’re treated to another Gremlins, Krampus, or darker yuletide films such as Christmas Evil and Silent Night, Deadly Night.  There’s Something in the Barn is a film that I can see myself re-watching year to year. It’s a heck of a lot of fun, featuring blood-thirsty barn elves that attack a family who don’t quite follow the rules. This makes for a gory and jolly old romp.

Directed by Magnus Martens, with a script by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, the film features Martin Starr as Bill, a father who relocates his family to snowy Norway just before the holidays after he inherits his uncle’s estate. Carol (Amrita Acharia), Bill’s newish wife, as well as his two kids, Nora (Zoe Winter-Hansen) and Lucas (Townes Bunner), aren’t exactly thrilled about the move. The movie cracks jokes about America and Norway in equal measure, as the family struggles to adapt to life in the north. It’s frigid in Norway, the internet constantly goes out, and there’s not much to do in the tiny town. The first half plays out like a straight comedy, trafficking in cultural differences. Then, Lucas discovers a magical barn elf and is instructed that the family has to obey certain rules, as to not upset the creature. Initially, Lucas does a pretty good job at following the rules, but his family’s actions, including Bill’s desire for tacky, bright, and noisy Christmas decoration, draws the ire of the barn elf. Oh, and the little guy has friends, a lot of friends, a whole army of friends.

It’s definitely evident that this movie was inspired by Gremlins and other 80s creature feature. There’s even a scene where the elves party after busting into the home and assaulting the family. It’s reminiscent of that bar scene in Gremlins, from the antics to the drinking, to the gonzo humor. But there’s also a dash of Mike Dougherty’s Krampus here for some of the freewheeling chaos that ensues, with a touch of warm and fuzzy holiday moments for good measure.

The final act is a wild roller coaster ride. Elves burst through windows, slaughter people with snowmobiles, and chuck saw blades. The family fights back, including making bombs out of moonshine and ornaments. Yet, for as maniacal as the elves are, they’re also, well, kind of dumb. For instance, one picks up a gun, shoots another elf, and them himself. That said, every single actor who plays one of the elves deserves a heck of a lot of credit. They don’t speak, though a few of them grunt in a made-up language. Still, without proper dialogue, they come across like a pack of maniacs. The make-up effects are great too, making the elves look all kinds of crazed, while also conveying other emotions through facial expressions.

I suspect at least a few folks will add this to their yearly holiday watch list. There’s Something in the Barn is a big, bloody Christmas present to horror hounds.

8 Out of 10