Is The Barn Worth Watching?
Answer: Maybe not, The Barn is likely a skip if you enjoy Horror movies.
It features a runtime of 88 minutes and offers a standard storyline that appeals to mature audiences.
The Barn Review
Last updated: January 18, 2026
Detailed Premise & Narrative Foundations
Released in the dynamic cinematic landscape of 2016, The Barn emerges as a significant entry in the Horror domain. The narrative core of the film focuses on a sophisticated exploration of It's Halloween 1989, best friends Sam and Josh are trying to enjoy what's left of their final Devil's Night before graduating high school. Unlike standard genre fare, The Barn attempts to deconstruct traditional tropes, offering a conventional take on its central themes.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Horror is often anchored by its ensemble, and The Barn features a noteworthy lineup led by Mitchell Musolino . Supported by the likes of Will Stout and Lexi Dripps , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: While the cast delivers competent and professional performances, they are occasionally hampered by a script that leans into familiar archetypes.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
In summary, our editorial assessment of The Barn (2016) is negative. With an audience rating of 4.8/10, it stands as a highly recommended experience for genre enthusiasts.
The Barn Plot Summary & Detailed Storyline
Quick Plot Summary: The Barn is a Horror film that crafts an atmosphere of dread and suspense, using psychological terror and visual scares. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict and narrative structure.
The Barn Ending Explained & Final Analysis
Ending Breakdown: The Barn attempts to tie together its various plot elements. The finale presents its approach to horror resolution.
The conclusion addresses the core thematic questions, offering viewers material for post-viewing discussion.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes by addressing its primary narrative threads, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Character journeys reach their narrative endpoints, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the horror themes established throughout the runtime.
The final moments of The Barn reflect the filmmakers' creative choices, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch The Barn?
Consider Watching If:
- You're a completist for Horror films
- You're curious despite mixed reviews
- You have low expectations and want casual entertainment
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Full Cast & Crew of The Barn
- Mitchell Musolino – Sam Daniels
- Will Stout – Josh Harper
- Lexi Dripps – Michelle Fairchild
- Cortland Woodard – Chris
- Nikki Howell – Nikki
Top Highlights
Mitchell MusolinoSam Daniels
Will StoutJosh Harper
Lexi DrippsMichelle Fairchild
Cortland WoodardChris
Nikki HowellNikki
Nickolaus JoshuaRussell
Linnea QuigleyMrs. Barnhart
Ari LehmanDr. Rock
Ryan NogyShirley Garrett
David HamptonGeorge
Where to Watch The Barn Online?
Streaming Hub📺 Stream on
Amazon Prime Video
Philo
Amazon Prime Video with Ads🎟️ Rent on
Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home🏷️ Buy on
Amazon VideoGoogle Play MoviesYouTubeFandango At HomeParents Guide & Age Rating
The Barn is rated NR. Parents should be aware that it contains frightening scenes, intense suspense.
Final Verdict
Analyzing the audience sentiment, IMDb rating of 4.8/10, and global collection metrics, The Barn stands as a challenging project for the creators. It remains an essential piece of the 2016 cinematic year.
Official Trailer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Barn movie hit or flop?
The Barn is considered a flop based on audience ratings of 4.8/10 and lower collections.
Is The Barn worth watching?
Based on the low rating of 4.8/10, The Barn may not be worth watching unless you are a die-hard fan.
Where can I watch The Barn online?
The Barn is currently available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video. You can also check for it on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads depending on your region.
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How The Barn Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for The Barn
This was really bad but the villains look great and my God does _The Barn_ have some serious tunes. _Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole._
Despite the budgetary shortcomings of The Barn, director, and writer Justin M. Seaman offers a solid horror story with great traditional special effects and some badass final boys. A definite new Halloween favorite!
**_All-around entertaining trick or treat flick, but no meat on the bones_** On Halloween, 1989, some teens in southwest Pennsylvania make the mistake of entering a forbidden barn, which unleashes three diabolical creatures: a miner boogeyman, a pumpkin man and a scarecrow. "The Barn" (2016) only cost $80,000 and was a life-long dream project of producer/writer/director Justin M. Seaman. I’ve seen several such movies by Indie filmmakers shooting in their beloved local areas and you have to understandably brace yourself for the worst, like stilted acting, lousy sound, questionable editing, cheesy effects and unconvincing action sequences. Considering the limited budget, this scores proficiently in all the above with ‘B’ queen Linnea Quigley showing up for a one-day gig. It’s colorful and has a great rockin’ soundtrack by no-name artists. The key actors take a relatively serious approach while some of the peripherals ham it up in an amusing way, like Sam’s dad. Where it drops the ball is the writing. There’s not enough depth beyond the descriptive blurb above and so I found myself bored with the story and characters in the second half. A similar Indie production, “Angel” (2018), featured stilted acting and lousy action scenes, but it at least had an interesting story (and great cinematography and locations), which made it more rewarding even though “The Barn” is technically superior and delivers the goods for fun Halloween ambiance. Lexi Dripps (Michelle) and Nikki Howell (Nikki) are serviceable on the feminine front, but more shoulda been done with them. A body double was, incidentally, used for the latter’s brief top-nude scene. It runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in various areas of southwest Pennsylvania, including West Alexander (main location), Claysville (street scenes), Washington (roller rink) and Emsworth (Dr. Rock sequence). GRADE: C+
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