User Reviews

A watchable piece of escapist nonsense, suitable for Christmas viewing if you really can't find anything better to watch. The plot is daft in the extreme, the comedy rather mild and the horror weak. The elves looked like they had just stepped out of a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs production. It really fails at just about every level, except for huge dollops of sentimentality which got more and more difficult to digest as the film went along. It certainly won't be making it into the league of Christmas films that regularly get screened over the Christmas period. I'd be surprised it if resurfaces next Christmas.

When a new age, nuclear, family pull up their American roots to relocate to Norway- after inheriting a "devil house" from the man's extended family- they try to fit in...but things don't exactly go as planned.

Because there is something living in their barn.

Their adolescent son quickly figures out what it is...and makes friends with it.

But no one believes him.

So when he tries to teach them the rules (on how not to piss it off).

They don't listen...and break every one of them.

However, it is one act that pushes things over the edge...

Thus turning this festive comedy into a complete horror show.

Albeit one made for children.

Is it the most innovative Christmas horror film ever?

No.

Is it the most gory Christmas horror film alltime?

Surely not.

Hell...it's not even the scariest Christmas horror film to come out of Norway.

But it's great fun!

With a decent amount of gore.

And a whole lot of laughs.

Though, not so much to make it unfit for kids.

So, if you are the type of family to watch an annual Christmas horror...and you got some kids you want to scare the "niceness" into.

This film is a great choice.

Norway definitely knows how to do it.

Except in the case of lutefisk.

Everyone hates that crap.

6 out of 10.

If I'm honest I was just bored. I loathe Christmas holidays so I saw that as an opportunity to hate them more. It was actually rather cute and it works perfectly. Balanced comedy and horror. It's not horror actually it's as scary as gremlins. I don't get the R rating.

Everything works out perfectly except the father. He is Gad in every single way possible. Both the character and the actor who doesn't work.

I enjoyed it and usually I hate everything.

The kid was amazing and the step mom. The police officer is a dream.

Give it a try. It's like the best Christmas movie since die hard. It's a Christmas nightmare but cute.

Can't say it's bad.

The plot is very flawed, the acting makes no sense in most parts. It was classified as a dark comedy, horror and fantasy film. Only the fantasy part was kind of right, and even there is mostly due to the elfs reference than any fantasy at all. In the first half of the movie you get the feeling that the elf's are fast and hard to see, that would fulfill the fantasy part, then they slowly grade down to children in costumes moving slow and ultimately incapable of putting up a fight. That makes the whole thing kind of pointless and nonsense. I felt deeply diving into the "if only the remote was by the couch..." state.

Can't say it's bad either. It's a nicely shot flick, with nice landscapes and good pace. But still fails being horror, fails being comic, just...a regular Sunday afternoon nothing else to see and it's already on kind of movie.

I love horror movies and ever since Dead Snow and Troll Hunter I also really enjoy Scandinavian horror movies with a snowy setting, so I thought I'd give this a try.

I had no idea what this movie was about and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out who or what the antagonists are. Minor spoiler but this movie really reminded me of a British movie from last year called Unwelcome. The premise is really similar except that this one place in the snow during Christmas time.

We have an American family that moves to Norway and has to deal with some sort of fish-out-of-the-water situation because they have cultural differences from the locals and while the parents are trying to fit in, the moody daughter just wants to go back and her little brother finds something mysterious in the barn.

Basically we have a pretty stereotypical family situation and some also stereotypical side character's, especially the towns Sheriff who was the main comedic relief which sometimes worked and sometimes not so much.

This is a lighthearted comedy with some horror aspects and some gnarly kills and I overall enjoyed the watching experience. This might not be some Christmas classic like Gremlins but it could still be an annual watch for me during the Christmas time. [5,9/10]

If you go into this film expecting a suspenseful and horrifying experience... You'll be really goddamn disspointed. If you instead approach this as a ridiculous and comedic experience with horror elements you'll probably have fun with it.

Overall I think that this movie can serve as a good introduction to horror films for people that are new to the genre. There are horror elements and limited gorre but it's all wrapped in a comedic and festive package.

The performances in the movie aren't perfect but they're okay for what this film is. It's not a masterpiece and doesn't require great acting.

The movie is fine and I'll give it a rating of 4. The reason it isn't higher than that is because the first 30-40 minutes or so did drag a little. After that the movie doesn pick up some speed and becomes more enoyable.

The Nordheim family is moving from California to a remote farm in Norway. Bill Nordheim (Martin Starr) had inherited the place from his uncle. Carol (Amrita Acharia) is his new wife and stepmother to his children. Teen daughter Nora is angry with the move away from her friends. Young son Lucas discovers an elf infesting the barn.

This is a horror comedy. The horror part is ok although they may have shown the elf a little too soon. I would have kept him in the dark for longer. The comedy is mostly Martin Starr being Martin Starr. Initially, the casting of the kids didn't make sense. I don't see them as Martin Starr's kids. The stepmother part helps a little, but I still don't buy them as Starr's kids. The daughter is a drag until she starts using the bat. There are some fun kills and the multitude of elfs is chaotic fun. In the end, this is not that good, but it has a few fun moments.

I've watched this today at Sitges Film Festival and I had a good time, but it was probably thanks to the crowd, who were doing jokes and clapping all the time.

Now let's see. The photography is really good, mostly because Norway is a beautiful country.

The film in general is really funny, and their comedy style is really enjoyable (even more if you aren't neither American or Norway).

You could call this a familiar Christmas movie, but adding it a sadistic side in the last part of the film.

About the plot, it's kind of predictable most of the time, but I've never seen a movie with an evil norway elf, i don't know if you did, but it's not exactly common (which makes it better).

One last thing, the acting was really bad, like probably the little kid was the only one who did a kind of good acting, and the Santa guy.

I recomend this movie? Yes, if you have nothing else to do.

It's a Christmas horror comedy (emphasis on comedy) with lots of violence and vulgarity. Although the basic premise is most akin to Gremlins, the over-the-top comedic gore is more reminiscent of Violent Night. Performances are generally mediocre and the movie never quite manages the gleeful chaotic mayhem of Gremlins or Krampus; but it is nevertheless surprisingly enjoyable. It hits the right notes in depicting the rampaging antagonists. The blend of cloying holiday reconciliation with inventive bloodshed is true to the subgenre. It seems intended to be silly rather than horrifying and if that's what you expect you'll probably have fun with it.

After inheriting a remote cabin in the Norway mountains, an American father of Norwegian roots fulfills his dream of returning to his country of origin with his family. However, this house keeps a dark secret: it is inhabited by an elf with a very bad temper who is not willing to let anything or anyone disturb his peace. Turning a deaf ear to a neighbor's recommendations to keep the elf calm, the family and the elf begin a violent fight to see who is the strongest. This Christmas ... you must respect your elf. Traditions die hard!. Nothing bad ever happens in Norway... Beware the Locals. All of Them. Break a Promise. Pay the price.

Norse mythology and Christmas traditions come together in this hilarious, hooligan and very bloody Christmas horror comedy. Disturbing, hilarious , enigmatic and disconcerting film about a family who flees the urban world to quiet Norway only to discover malevolent and murderous elves lurking in the gnarled, ancient wood and at the stable. Nominated for best film at the 2023 Sitges Festival. It stars Martin Stararr (Roger Harrington in the Marvel Universe) and Amrita (Irri in Game of Thrones, Zombies Nazis 2). Here dealing with an American family fulfills their dream of moving back after inheriting a remote cabin in the mountains of Norway, but, of course, things go wrong. The film is very uneven, it develops little by little, the first half is quite boring, barely anything happens. However, the second half perks up a bit, and things get better until a surprising and truly bizarre ending. The decently crafted redcap Elfs were not puppets, they are acted by real actors and stunt performers, no computer generator, all wearing gowns and practical make-up.

¨There's Something in the Barn¨ (2023) bears remarkable resemblance to the recent ¨Unwelcome¨ (2022) , in fact it sounds like a simple copy, both belonging to an almost prolific subgenre within horror dealing with small fantastic evil beings, such as dwarfs, goblins, fairies and others, who usually attack cruelly people, whose main representations is the saga 'Leprechaun' that goes on its seventh entry, ordinarily starred by Warwick Davis and perhaps its greatest exploiter results to be director Charles Band. The motion picture was regular but regular but professionally directed by Maagnus Martens. He's a Norwegian craftsman who has only directed two films: SAS: Red Notice (2021) and There's Something in the Barn (2023). But he has directed a number of episodes of popular TV series, such as: Banshee (2013), Fear of the Walking Dead (2015) Agents S. H. I. E. L. D. , The Walking Dead: World Beyond , Longmire, Will, Furia, Power , 12 Monkeys, Luke Cage, among others. Rating There's Something in the Barn(2023): 5.5/10, acceptable and passable. The flick will appeal the horor fans with hilarious touches.

I enjoy comedy horrors, but 'There's something in the Barn' is a miss for me. Maybe its because the film can't really decide what it wants to be. As a comedy it simply wasn't funny enough. As a horror it was holding back on gore and effective kill scenes as if it was scared to loose its young audience. And I say young audience because part of it felt like it wanted to be a cute little kids movie with a message. I just don't really know what that message is. A message of hope for the Festive Season, maybe?

The film revolves around the Nordheim family from America who inherited a farm in Norway, so they packed up everything in the States and moves to Norway. Here, they plan to turn the farm into a bed and breakfast. However, young Lucas soon discovers there's an Elf living in the barn. And there are rules to abide by not to piss him off. He hates bright light. He hates noise. He hates change.

So, when Lucas befriends the Elf he decides to follow the rules, no matter how much it inconveniences his family. And this is where I started losing interest. It would have made more sense for them to try and get rid of the Elf, angering him that way. Now we have a kid telling grown-ups what to do, and they obey!!

The teenage daughter Nora was cliched and annoying. Ok, her character development wasn't bad, but I still found her unconvincing - both the character AND the actress. And the same goes for the mother, Carol - or the stepmother, for that matter. The Dad, Bill, was a hopeless, spineless character who always quietly agreed with everything and everyone.

Oh, this was stupid. For a 'horror' it offered very little in terms of suspense. I found the film so silly within the first few minutes that I almost stopped watching, but I guess I was still hoping it would surprise me. Unfortunately, it didn't. The film so badly wanted a feel-good festive ending that they have the dad saying "People died, but we bonded." I think this was supposed to make me go "Auwww, the family sorted out their issues and they're happy." Instead it made me dislike the film even more. Ugh, seriously!!

I recently watched the Norwegian Christmas horror 🇳🇴 There's Something in the Barn (2023) on Netflix. The storyline follows an American family who inherits a home in Norway after an unfortunate accident. As they try to adjust to Norwegian culture, they encounter a gnome living in the barn who is not fond of change. When the dad attempts to give the family an American holiday, it becomes the inspiration for the gnome to plot their demise...

This picture is directed by Magnus Martens (S. A. S: Red Notice) and stars Martin Starr (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Amrita Acharia (Game of Thrones), Kiran Shah (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), and Jeppe Beck Laursen (The Last Kingdom).

This movie was a blast and reminded me of the Finnish Christmas classic, Rare Exports, in many ways. The settings and cinematography are outstanding, creating the perfect atmosphere. The acting feels authentic and establishes a relatable family dynamic, while the special effects and CGI are flawless. The gnomes are hilarious and had me laughing throughout the film. The horror elements are top-notch, and the snowmobile and gun scenes are memorable. There's nothing I'd change about this film.

In conclusion, There's Something in the Barn is an outstanding addition to the holiday horror genre. I would score it a 7/10 and highly recommend it.

This is one of the worst movies I've seen all year. And that's not an easy thing to say because I've seen a lot about movies this year. But this one just might be one of the worst.

First off whoever wrote this should go back to school. This is extremely poorly written. I think this is supposed to be a comedy? I never laughed one time. I think I've seen the dad in a comedy movie before though? Well he was the dumbest one in this movie, and the unfunniest by far.

The horror in it is bad but I'm still giving it two stars instead of one because I do like horror movies and this did have a few good scenes, I guess.

2/10 One of the worst this year.

Blending horror and comedy is never easy task to do. You either get a great movie or a total excuse for a movie.

There is something in the barn is something between. It's got a very funny moments and some good action.

As a European I just loved "this is not America" joke's.

But something is missing I think a little more blood and gore would make this movie a so much better picture. Some killings just missing those bloody parts and a little bit of creativity.

Also I got a problem with the actor who was playing father figure. He was really annoying and not in the funny way. Most of the time he looked like a stoned dad with no love for his children.

Anyway a good movie if you love that mix of horror and comedy, not for everybody.

Arriving at an inherited house in Norway, an American family prepares to turn the inherited property into a new bed-and-breakfast location for travelers in the area, but the more they try to impose their customs to accomplish it the more they anger the sacred elf protecting their property and must try to stop its rampage.

There was a lot to like about this one. The main starting point here is the rather fun and light-hearted atmosphere that generates quite an enjoyable time. The classic setup involving the family who are out of their element and out of touch with the customs and traditions of the location but trying to fit in with their usual decorations manages to be quite a fun scenario here. The means through which they start to make it feel at home ends up allowing for a creative counter-behavior setup where the son is initially curious about until he reveals about the elf living there which soon gives way to his desire to stop them from continuing their disrespectful traditions as they try to get acclimated in the community. Not only is all of this quite fun in terms of supplying a solid setup for later on with the elf's desires to keep the traditions in check while they start to win over the locals with their non-traditional ideas and customs, but it all provides the proper context for the later shenanigans to come. This setup provides quite a lot of fun once it shows the destructive nature of his actions inflicted on the family. Already well aware of what the elf is capable of, the scenes of it show in practice, from the destruction of the Christmas decorations to the violent reaction after the party, this sets the film in motion rather nicely with the family being unwilling to acknowledge anything is wrong and only angering him further. By the time it gets to the final half, where the vicious elves have had enough and begin launching a slew of invasion attempts to overrun the house and start attacking everyone they can, this features a lot of fun action and battles between the two that escalates to some great destruction of the house and surrounding areas. As this all features tons of great work on the design of the creatures who are extremely effective in their full-scale action scenes and fine gore, these provide the kind of enjoyable factors to hold this one up overall. There aren't too many issues here, but it does have a few minor flaws. One of the main issues here is the rather unsettling and somewhat unnecessary cultural humor that comes about here that grows somewhat tired the more it goes on with the amount of time it keeps going on about the fish-out-of-water Americans being clueless about the Norwegian customs. This is mainly based on the locals' reactions and comments to the family's queries for help and using that to brush it off when it's quite obvious there's something wrong as the continued use of the storyline where their American customs are put to the test. The other drawback to this one is the somewhat convoluted finale that manages to have a lot going on since there are a lot of storylines at play here, from the race to save the family, the attempts at appeasing the friendly elf, and the neighbor getting involved with all the chaos going on, and it can feel too complex at a point that doesn't need it. These factors are enough to hold this one back somewhat.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, and children-in-jeopardy.

So I'm not sure why the reviews are not as good. I thought this movie was very entertaining, had funny parts that I actually laughed from, great production values and an interesting premise. I agree that it probably dragged on a little bit too long but nonetheless it kept my attention. I liked the photography and the scenery. It's definitely dark humor and some people might not get that. There were laugh out loud funny parts as well as action. It really was much better than I expected and not nearly as bad as people are making it out to be. Everyone has and is entitled to their opinion. Mine is that it is a fun escape for a few hours. It's harmless fun.

Fantastic Fest 2023 Greetings again from the darkness. Billed as a Norwegian comedy-horror, it's unfortunate that this latest from director Magnus Martens didn't work on either front for me ... although I absolutely adore the premise. A typical American family inherits a family farm in Norway, and quickly decide to relocate to the farm and turn the barn into a Bed and Breakfast for tourists who want to enjoy country life and the spectacular views. Of course, this happens after we've seen the opening and what happened to the previous owner a month earlier.

The teenage daughter (Zoe Winther-Hansen) is angry about leaving her friends behind. The stepmother (Amrita Acharia) is trying to put on a happy face for the family, while the goofy dad (Martin Starr, "Silicon Valley") is just excited for the adventure and mostly oblivious to the obstacles. It's the young son (Townes Bunner) who stumbles on the oddity living in the barn. An elf has made the dusty place his, and a local man provides the breakdown of the local legend. The son tries to explain to his family what the "Barn Elf Rules" are, but they ignore him and proceed to break all three rules.

Numerous cracks about violence in America are included (evidently part of the 'comedy'), but other than skiing being broadcast on every cable channel, the movie is neither as clever nor scary as it tries to be. Turning into an elf gore-fest with a gang of elves makes for some fight scenes that should have been more creative, and instead mostly fall flat. This is one I had high expectations for since I thoroughly enjoyed last year's VIOLENT NIGHT. At least it ends with the great Darlene Love singing "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)."