The following contains a discussion on sexual assault.
In Zach Cregger's Barbarian, Georgina Campbell's Tess underwent a traumatic horror story. Initially, she and Bill Skarsgård's Keith seemed locked in a cerebral psychological thriller when they both booked the same Airbnb in Detroit, leaving folks wondering if he was a creep. Thankfully, that didn't turn out to be the case, but Tess soon found a dark threat lurking in the labyrinth beneath the home. It was none other than Mother -- a superhuman who was the product of incest. However, as the misleading film jumped from Keith and Tess to Justin Long's AJ, a few Barbarian plot holes and weird mysteries popped up.
What Happened With Frank, the Initial Kidnapper?
Flashbacks to the '70s showed Frank kidnapped women and taking them into the catacombs beneath the house. He'd rape them there, and in time, this vicious cycle would continue with all the women born. However, decades later, AJ found Frank near death. But it's never explained how he built the labyrinth, how he remained alive and why Mother didn't kill him.
What Happened With Frank's Wives and Other Kids in Barbarian?
Andre, a homeless man on the street, rescued Tess and told her and AJ how Frank ran his incest ring for decades. But while they saw cages below in the lair, the film never divulged what happened to the other women before Mother. It could be a civil war broke out, and she killed them. In addition, the film didn't reveal what happened with the boys and how Frank got rid of the bodies.
Why Did Mother Kill Keith?
Keith went down into the labyrinth, only for Tess to try to help him after he got attacked in the shadows. Mother then crept out of the dark, smashing his head into the wall. Interestingly, when she took AJ, he panicked even more, which Tess warned about as she knew Mother would also kill him. Yet, Mother spared AJ, leaving fans curious why a less-noisy Keith was deemed expendable.
Why Didn't Mother Ever Hunt Andre in Barbarian?
Andre joked to an escaped AJ and Tess how Mother never attacked him. Coincidentally, she did raid his makeshift home at a warehouse, ripping his arm off and beating him to death with it in the finale. Still, it'd have been nice to know why Andre never became a target, as she knew he was around.
How Didn't AJ Know Guests Were Present?
When AJ showed up in the second act, he kept calling his realtor to find out if anyone was staying there. It was obvious they were, as he spotted Tess and Keith's luggage, and Tess' jeep was parked outside. It seems the vehicle was invisible to AJ, which was made even more ridiculous by his agent not being able to call the tech companies to find out who booked the home. But it was all done to force AJ to go down into the labyrinth to measure extra acreage for his sale.
What Happened With AJ's Dad in Barbarian?
AJ tried to sell the home after his Hollywood career fizzled. He got caught in a sexual assault scandal, which he admitted to later. But he did speak to his mom and lied about his past, only being caught up with if his dad cared. There was clearly some inciting incident that drove a wedge between them, which the film could have revealed as it seemed to inform AJ's toxic behavior.
Why Didn't Tess Call Her Boss?
After the cops ignored Tess when she escaped the lair, one has to wonder why she didn't call her soon-to-be boss. The reputable filmmaker was glad to hire Tess for a documentary and made it clear she should never have stayed on that rough side of town. Thus, she could have vouched for Tess and gotten the police to take her seriously.
Why Did the Cops Ignore Tess in Barbarian?
The cops saw Tess frantic, bloodied and battered, but they left her to tend to a shooting downtown. It made no sense because they could have dropped her off at the station or asked her to meet there to file a report. It was ridiculous, as they chided her for raising her voice and left her high and dry.
Why Did Keith Initially Venture Into the Basement?
When Keith came home and found Tess scared over the labyrinth she found in the first act, he went down. This Barbarian plot hole doesn't add up, though, because she told him how she saw a room, cameras and other sinister items, so he should have taken her to the cops. Wandering down to investigate alone was all so he could get snatched and have Tess come to look for him after he kept screaming.
Why Didn't Mother Attack Upstairs in Barbarian?
In the opening act, Mother snuck into the house, opened Tess' door and left. But seeing as she was interested in taking Tess to be her daughter, it's unclear why she didn't do it then. And, given she always appeared intent on killing Keith, it's a mystery why she didn't do it there because, with her super-strength, no one would have heard him whimpering.