20 Best Horror Movie Final Girls of the 2020s (So Far)
11. Tess - Barbarian
Zach Cregger's stunning genre debut Barbarian is a film entirely about the dangers of ignoring red flags, and though protagonist Tess (Georgina Campbell) could've potentially become an unlikeable Final Girl as a result, that's thankfully not the case.
It helps that Cregger balances the Airbnb-from-hell scenario on a razor's edge of believability - at least in the early going - where Tess, stuck for shelter in the middle of nowhere, agrees to enter the double-booked Airbnb also occupied by Keith (Bill Skarsgård).
Sure, Tess ends up in a whole heap of trouble as a result and makes a few conscience-driven mistakes - such as returning to rescue the vile AJ (Justin Long) - but she also proves herself to be an extremely tenacious survivor who makes it to the end of the movie alive without shedding her soul in the process.
Tess is incredibly easy to root for despite falling into a few obvious traps - a testament to both Cregger's sharp writing and Georgina Campbell's superb performance.