It is pretty uneven, with a handful of strong bright spots and a bunch of derivative creature scenes that drag it down.

An atmospheric horror story that almost works because of a consistent mood of pure dread.

The result is intense and exciting, assembling some old bits in an entertaining way.

It is consistently enjoyable, smart in its ridiculousness and I laughed a lot.

It is approximately 35% love story, 40% coming-of-age story, 25% horror. That blend ends up working quite well.

An original, exciting, entertaining horror entry that takes chances is more than welcome. Barbarian certainly delivers in that regard.

It is a great setup and an inconsistent payoff, with a whole bunch of enjoyable moments.

It is fascinating, bold, uncompromising, disturbing and thought-provoking. What it isn’t is easy to watch, easy to understand or conclusive.

It is ridiculous, though that didn’t bother me, maybe because I wanted to see where Ducournau was going to take things next.

Even though it doesn’t ultimately work, this is entertaining and suspenseful, with an intriguing take on its subject matter.