Directed by Magnus Martens, “There’s Something in the Barn” is a fantasy horror drama film now streaming on Netflix. Written by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, the script follows an American family as they move to a remote cabin in Norway just before Christmas and learn some magical secrets about this place. The film uses multiple horror tropes like a family moving to a new place, the fear of the unknown, and cultural dissonance while being a more accessible, and less scary version of horror flicks. Its central cast includes Martin Starr, Amrita Acharia, Zoe Winther-Hansen, and Townes Bunner.
Spoilers Ahead
There’s Something in the Barn (2023) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What is ‘There’s Something in the Barn’ about?
Magnus Martens’ “There’s Something in the Barn” follows an American family as they move to an old cabin in Norway and try to fit in this new environment. It is essentially a dramedy with a few elements of fantasy and horror genres. The film is not for hardcore horror fans but for families who want to watch a sweet, family-friendly film with a bit of gore and terror. The premise is based on a typical horror film trope: a family moves to a new house where a horrifying entity tries to break them apart. Instead, they all bond together like never before, and a tragedy inadvertently brings them closer.
What happens in ‘There’s Something in the Barn’?
There’s Something in the Barn” follows the Nordheim family as they travel to a plot of land in Norway inherited by the family patriarch, Bill (Martin Starr). Bill moves there with his wife, Carol (Amrita Acharia), and his two children, Nora (Zoe Winther-Hansen) and Lucas (Townes Bunner). While Bill and Carol are looking forward to this change, Nora is far from happy. Carol thinks it is because Nora does not accept her as her stepmother. Nevertheless, the Nordheims try to fit in with the locals. They visit a local bar to let them know about their move.
The locals react strangely when the Nordheims mention the barn they have moved to. Only Bill knows why that is, but he doesn’t tell his family. Back at their cabin, Carol tries to use her self-improvement lessons to help Nora see the bright side of their new lives. But predictably, it doesn’t help. Meanwhile, Lucas walks into their barn and notices something strange. He runs back to his parents, screaming, ‘There’s something in the barn.’ Carol and Bill do not believe him. They think that Lucas is just acting out because of the sudden change in life.
Who does Lucas see in the barn?
Even though Carol and Bill don’t believe him, Lucas believes he saw someone or something in the barn. Late at night, he sees shiny eyes peeking out of the barn. Soon after, he meets the person behind those eyes: an elf. Lucas offers him some food to gain his trust. A local man, Tor Age (Calle Hellevang-Larsen), tells Lucas that this ‘somebody’ hates artificial lights and noise. While Lucas keeps seeing the elf, Carol doesn’t believe he does. She believes he is just lonely. Later on, for Christmas, Bill puts up an elaborate decoration to make his family feel at home as they did in America.
Lucas warns him that bright lights and noise will irritate the elf. But Bill doesn’t pay heed to his concern. The next morning, the family wakes up to find all the decorations damaged. They file a complaint with local officer Liv (Henriette Steenstrup). But they soon realize that the matter won’t be investigated as it is in America. Anyhow, the Nordheims hold a party to hang out with the locals. Nora meets a local girl and drinks alcohol, which makes Carol angry. So, she grounds Nora and confiscates her phone. But Bill does not say anything to her.
Who wrecks the Nordheims’ cabin?
After the party night, the Nordheims wake up to find their cabin wrecked as if someone had broken into their house. They file a complaint, knowing Liv won’t help. It starts getting on Carol’s nerves that they cannot change this situation for the better. Lucas is still hopeful to mend their relationship with the elf. So, as per Tor Age’s suggestion, he hands over a plate of porridge to the elf. The elf takes a bite or two. But, instead of resolving the situation, that makes it worse. The elf picks up a hammer and walks toward the cabin. It sees a man dressed as Santa Claus and beats him to death.
Bill walks out to find the costumed man dead. So, he brings his family to the car to leave immediately. Before he can turn on the car engine, the elf falls on his hood and hits it repeatedly with his hammer. Then, the elf falls to the ground. Moments later, the Nordheims find themselves surrounded by a group of elves. So, they run back to the cabin. The elves follow them and get inside. They terrorize the family, which ensures a violent back-and-forth between both sides. In that chaos, someone calls Liv for help. She arrives in her snowmobile with bright flashlights that scare off the elves. So, they immediately go into hiding.
What happened at the Nordheims’ cabin in the past?
Decades ago, one of Bill’s ancestors suffered a tragic death. He was trying to burn their barn. Instead, he died jumping from a window, with his body all in flames. Bill doesn’t know why this ancestor wanted to burn the barn. He thinks the old man was just old and lost his mind.
There’s Something in the Barn (2023) Movie Ending Explained:
What happens to Liv?
When Liv arrives at the cabin, Nordheims explains that they were attacked by a bunch of elves. Liv thinks Bill and Carol are playing a game with Nora and Lucas. So, she states that elves don’t exist and then decides to leave. Then, right outside the cabin, she sees an elf drive her snowmobile. While trying to stop it, she gets brutally killed. The elves get hold of Liv’s gun and play around with it. Meanwhile, the Nordheims lock themselves in Nora’s room and have a heart-to-heart dialogue about their situation. Bill apologizes for putting everyone in danger. They all share a tender moment.
Eventually, Bill and Lucas leave the cabin to bring Tor Age for help. By then, Nora and Carol use moonshine in her room to make bombs to scare off the elves. While the elves go away for a while, Nora and Carol have a heart-to-heart dialogue. Carol says she fears Nora doesn’t accept her as her stepmother. Carol explains that she is just a teenager and so acts rebellious. In short, it has nothing to do with Carol being a bad mother or she not liking Carol. By the time they bond nicely, an elf breaks into their room. So, they need to fight their way out of the cabin.
What happens to the Nordheim family?
Bill and Lucas bring Tor Age to their cabin for help with the elves’ problem. Tor Age states that their country likes to do things peacefully, unlike Americans. He mentions the Oslo agreement as something that benefitted two countries in the past, or at least, it seemed to have helped at the time. So, Tor Age believes a peaceful conversation can still help. With that belief, he almost sacrifices his life. Meanwhile, the Nordheims get into a fight against the evil elves. They light a fire in the barn to kill them. Meanwhile, Lucas uses a peaceful agreement with the elf, whom he met initially, to end things on a happy note.
At the end of “There’s Something in the Barn,” the Nordheim family stays alive despite the few casualties. A series of terrifying events has brought them together and strengthened their bond.
Read More: 15 Best Christmas Movies on Netflix For The Holiday Season
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