A typical American family have arrived in Norway to live in a house left to them by a relative. The younger of the two kids, Lucas (Townes Brunner), still has a touch of youthful wonder and goes exploring the rundown barn. It’s here where he spots a tiny man (Kiran Shah), and befriends him with some sweet treats. While the family try to fit in with the village, Lucas learns the local legend of elves that live in folks’ barns, and in Gremlins fashion, there are several rules to keep them on your side. Basically, don’t upset them and they’ll look after you. Naturally, the family don’t listen, and soon, they have a pitched battle with a horde of little folk.
Directed by Magnus Martens, who has plenty of genre TV under his belt, this throwback to the ‘80s creature feature manages to balance the comedy with some surprisingly gory moments. Like Joe Dante’s classic, this tale features a good dose of Christmas – and being set in Norway, plenty of snow – but it shouldn’t be written off as merely seasonal fare. There’s a healthy measure of cultural satire throughout, with traditions from both cultures coming under the spotlight, but without the heavy-handed nature of, say, a National Lampoon film. The lighter-hearted first half gives way to a chaotic and brutal onslaught but keeps its funny bone intact. With this in mind, there’s very little threat even when the horrific-looking elves have the house under siege, Straw Dogs-style. But while it might not be necessarily scary, the violence puts the film above the ‘family friendly’ banner. Harmless fun that will easily find an appreciative audience.
THERE’S SOMETHING IN THE BARN is in UK cinemas on December 1st.
