It's that time of year again: the spooky season The spooky season means that the best streaming services are all offering new and terrifying thrills and scares One of them is the most shocking horror film in years, Zach Creger's first solo directorial debut, “The Barbarian,” available on Hulu

I'm not alone in that opinion, given that “The Barbarian” grossed ten times its budget in its theatrical release It also received a 92% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a rare accomplishment for a horror film However, there is only so much we can learn from critic scores and earnings So, coming from someone who watches a lot of horror films, most of which end up being bad: “The Barbarian” is a modern horror film worth your time, along with “Get Out” and “Hereditary”

“The Barbarian” has a lot of the familiar stuff horror fans are used to, but it cleverly subverts the audience's expectations and keeps you on the edge of your seat with its harrowing tension and twists (Including a brilliant bait-and-switch with Bill Skarsgård, who at the time had just toured as Pennywise in the film “It”)

Don't get me wrong, there are some flaws, including a meandering third act and a premise that falls apart if you think too deeply However, there are also plenty of tantalizing pieces to chew on If you haven't already seen this shocking horror thriller, I urge you to add “The Barbarian” to your watch list

“The Barbarian” is one of those films that is best watched without knowing where the hell it is going, so let me just summarize the general flow of its premise Georgina Campbell solidifies her status as scream queen as the titular character, Tess Marshall A young woman visiting the city for a job interview discovers that her Airbnb is located in a run-down, abandoned Detroit suburb

After discovering that she has been double-booked due to some glitch, she and her unlikely roommate Keith (Skarsgård) decide to spend the night, despite their shared hesitations As is often the case in these types of films, one thing leads to another, and the two discover a hidden passageway in the basement that leads to a catacomb of tunnels that suggests that the homeowner is leading a truly disturbing double life

Chained beds, hidden cameras, and bloody handprints on the walls paint a disturbing picture, but it is not until the two discover a monstrous woman stalking the tunnel that they realize the real danger The film also stars Justin Long, an actor no stranger to horror films, best known for his roles in “Jeepers Creepers” and “Tusk

It all leads to some of the grossest scenes I have ever seen in a horror film But don't take “The Barbarian” too seriously The film is packed with a clever, darkly funny script throughout, which makes the chilling scares all the more remarkable

If you like horror films that stick with you long after the credits roll, “The Barbarian” is a must-see this month Director Zach Kregger delivers a cleverly written and unpredictable experience, one of the most captivating horror films I've seen in years, and a perfect prelude to Halloween

Of course, I know that horror is not for everyone, but “The Barbarian” is a bloody good time It's a smart film that mixes moments of suspense and terror with dark comic relief to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat If this film is not your cup of tea, be sure to check out the new shows and movies that just appeared on Hulu in October

Stream “The Barbarian” on Hulu now [21]