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.

Due to the way it marries real-life terrors with things that go bump in the night, His House is compelling and surprisingly powerful.