Hereditary (2018) Review

Hereditary (2018) is directed by Ari Aster and stars Toni Collette (Annie) and Gabriel Byrne (Steve) as parents of two children, portrayed by Milly Shapiro (Charlie) and Alex Wolff (Peter). The story begins with the recent death of Annie’s mother and follows the grieving family through a series of tragic events as the family’s disturbing history begins to unravel. This is Ari Aster’s first feature-length film but his attention to detail and comprehensive knowledge of the horror genre lead you to think otherwise. Hereditary is a confident film that takes pride in its ability to scare effectively through its intricate characters and its absence of unearned jump scares.

Toni Collette (as Annie Graham) was deservedly nominated for an Oscar due to her captivating performance in this movie. She is asked to go to unbelievably dark places and shines when the spotlight hits her. Her monologues throughout the film evoke powerful emotions as they all emanate from the darkest shades of reality.

Alex Wolff (as Peter Graham) is also required to endure a lot of trauma and he effectively delivers for the most part. When Alex Wolff is at his best, the scenes feel personal and authentic. However, some may feel that his ability to elicit sadness feels artificial.

Milly Shapiro (as Charlie Graham) does an excellent job of portraying Charlie’s disconnection with the world around her. Charlie does not have a substantial amount of dialogue, but her actions and lines carry a lot more weight than everyone else’s as her character manages to become the backbone of the entire plot.

Gabriel Byrne’s (as Steve Graham) character, unfortunately, feels weak in comparison to the rest of the Graham family as his role is essentially to keep the family together. Peter does not show emotion as others do and his backstory is nearly irrelevant to the final cut of the movie.

Ann Dowd (as Joan) appears later in the film, but her character is effective in giving Annie a much-needed friend. Joan’s exuberance and sympathy towards Annie’s predicament are convincing.

Director of Hereditary, Ari Aster, understands that true fear is not loud, unexpected noises. He understands that silence is deafening. Imaginations can often create something scarier than anything a camera can shoot. Ari relies on overloading his audience with disturbing imagery in intervals and long drawn out sequences that build anxiety. Jump scares are only utilized when they are necessary, which allows for tension to build without release and those scares to be more poignant. Colin Stetson, a saxophonist most notably recognized for his work with Arcade Fire, provides an unforgettable score that instigates apprehension and sits in your stomach.

Hereditary rewards those who rewatch as foreshadowing and clues are littered throughout the film and exemplify the meticulousness of Ari’s craft. The camera shots do an outstanding job creating restlessness. Jump cuts are non-existent in this movie as it creates more of a realistic feel. Slow dolly shots make us feel like the audience is a character in the film and the reaction shots are menacing as it is impossible not to feel frozen in time.

Realism is the driving force to which makes this movie one of the scariest films I have ever seen. Sure, it has its fair share of excessive supernatural elements, but the way those elements are gradually introduced to characters during desperate times feels vile. Unlike most horror movies, Hereditary becomes scarier with each viewing as its themes of ‘being cursed’ and ‘losing grips on reality’ adhere to your subconscious and refuse to let go. This movie lived up to its hype and it will remain among the elite horror movies of our generation.

Final Score: 9.5/10

If Hereditary is any indication, Ari Aster’s next feature Midsommar (set to hit theaters on July 2nd) is going to be a special treat for horror fanatics.