Warning! SPOILERS for BarbarianThe plot of Keith’s death in Barbarian makes the truth about the initial misdirection even more impactful. When the plot shifts to the perspective of the home’s owner, an actor named AJ Gilbride (Justin Long) whose career is plummeting following allegations by a female co-star, he discovers Tess still alive in the underground tunnels.
While on the phone with the woman who manages the property, AJ discovers there haven’t been renters in weeks, which explains why Tess’ belongings are still untouched in the bedroom. This also means Tess has been surviving for weeks, with nobody searching for her during her period of absence. This may be because Tess has left her old life behind in hopes of starting a new one in Detroit. During her first night in the home, Tess ignores attempts to her made by her ex-boyfriend Marcus. Although Marcus is never seen, his unwanted attempts at communication reinforce the true message of Barbarian. Unfortunately, Marcus seems to take Tess’ silence as an indicator of her desire to move on, rather than a sign of the danger she is in.
How Tess Survived For Weeks In Barbarian's Tunnels
Tess being able to survive in the tunnels for the weeks before AJ arrives is likely thanks to the Mother, who is seen attempting to feed captive victims with an over-sized baby bottle filled with milk. AJ is also breastfed by the Mother when he is also captured and adopted as her new “child,” suggesting of what may have happened to Tess during her period of captivity. Another potential source of sustenance was revealed by director Zach Cregger in an interview (via Barbarian’s grossest "baby bottle" scene, along with giving more insight into how Tess managed to survive for weeks underground.
Why Didn't Catherine Try To Find Tess In Barbarian?
The only person other than Marcus who seems to be aware of Tess’s location is Catherine (Kate Nichols), the woman who interviews her for a potential new job. Although Catherine says she will call the following day, there are several reasons why this doesn’t lead to her trying to track Tess down. It is possible that a better candidate interviewed and instead received the job offer, or that Catherine called and took Tess’ lack of response as an indicator that she was no longer interested in the position.
Even if Catherine called and was concerned about Tess not responding, she may not have known how to find her. Despite showing concern about the neighborhood where Tess was staying, she could also have been hesitant to go there herself. A sequel or prequel to Barbarian might reveal more information about the neighborhood, including why even the police presence is unhelpfully apathetic to the real threat Tess faced in the Airbnb home.
