Horror Movie Blog > Horror Movie Reviews > Hereditary Review
Every now and then I watch a horror movie that will just stick with me, for better or worse. Hereditary is one of those unforgettable films.
Hereditary, a 2018 horror movie by Ari Aster, focuses on family trauma and grief, telling the story of a woman dealing with her mother's death and her own family problems, including two teenage kids and a husband.
Toni Collette, who plays the mother, steals the show in this one, she puts in an incredible performance.
The Story
The film begins with a death. Annie (Toni Collette) her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), son Peter (Alex Wolff), and daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) are mourning the loss of Annie's mother, Grandma Leigh.
Annie is an artist who creates miniature models, who is trying to seek some control over her chaotic life and Steve is a psychiatrist who keeps his emotions tightly controlled. The kids seem fairly normal, but unbeknownst to them all, Grandma Leigh was involved with demons and cults.
Can the family overcome these demonic forces, or will they fall victim to the horrors that await them?
My Thoughts
This film is dark and is so much more than just a horror movie, but Hereditary is not only one of the best horror films of recent times, but I would say of all time, yeah, I said it. It has that same grief and trauma feeling similar to The Babadook, but better.
Of the family, Steve is the probably the most stable as he tries to keep everyone together as everything is falling apart around him. The son, Peter, slowly descends into mental madness, and it is compelling to watch. Alex Wolff shines as Peter as his mental state spirals.
Milly Shapiro, who plays Charlie, also puts in an excellent performance, especially as this was her acting debut, and she nails the creepy vibe her character portrays.
But the standout performance as mentioned above comes from Toni Collette. Her portrayal of grief is amazing and she deserved all the accolades she got from playing Annie. as she leads the film from the front, showcasing all her acting skills with the different emotions that she delivers in the movie.
While the demon and cult elements are pretty well done too, the real horror of the movie comes from the emotional trauma experienced by these characters. The film is powerful and incredibly emotional and is a bit exhausting as well.
You could watch this movie multiple times and always find something new to speak about. Whether it's the supernatural elements, the mental health themes, or just the dynamics of the family, the film has a lot of depth.
The first half of Hereditary is actually very slow, and it takes its time to set up everything for what is to come in the second half of the movie, well, in particular, the 3rd act. This is when the film really hits you, and I don't want to say too much or give anything away!
As I said above, the film is so much more than just a horror movie, it's also deeply rooted in family drama. It steadily builds the tension throughout and there are scenes where something unsettling might be in the background, subtly presented for you to notice or miss. (If you have only watched this movie once, please re-watch it a few more times!)
This movie is a masterpiece in my opinion, and Ari Aster, who both wrote and directed the film, did an outstanding job—especially considering this is his debut feature film, which is quite impressive.
9/10! [Hereditary on IMDB]
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