Héréditaire

Have always had a lot of appreciation for horror, even though it isn't my favourite genre, and 'Hereditary' was a film that immediately held my interest in seeing it with such an arresting concept. Although more polarising with audiences it was very positively received films critically, having more than once seen and heard it described as one of the year's best.

Despite reviewing it only now, 'Hereditary' was another film viewed weeks ago but with so many commitments and such a big to watch and review list it's taken a long time to get round to reviewing it. While the polarisation is understandable, count me in as another person who was really impressed by 'Hereditary', very nearly loving it even. Of my recent 2018 viewings, it definitely stands out as one of the better ones and it is not hard to see whether it is considered in as high regard as it is. Can also see why it has been compared to 'The Exorcist' and 'The Shining', having just as much the same amount of dread and hellish atmosphere, and also couldn't help thinking of another slow-burn horror from this year that divided opinion but was also critically acclaimed 'A Quiet Place'. Not in concept and they're different films, but in that they're polarising but mostly positively regarded and both films that were very well made, well acted and unnerving.

It is hard to know where to begin praising something with so many positives. 'Hereditary' is incredibly well made visually, one of the most audacious and best-looking films in the genre in recent years. The photography is both dream-like and nightmarish, while the film is slickly edited, atmospherically lit and the spacious house, with a mix of the audacious and the ghoulish, is like its own character.

The music is haunting and adds to the unnerving atmosphere as does some of the most effective sound editing and design of the year, never being obvious or cheap and providing a lot of eeriness. The writing flows well and never becomes corny or overly-wordy, sometimes even thought-provoking in particularly in what it has to say about grief and trauma.

While a deliberate slow-burn for me 'Hereditary' was not dull at all, helped enormously by the atmosphere and the near-perfect balance of family drama, which was often very poignant and packs a powerful emotional wallop, and horror, where there is not any over-reliance on predictable horror tropes and cheap scare tactics and actually was frightening and suspenseful. It always is interesting seeing film debuts and there are some fine ones out there, Ari Astor's directing is remarkably well accomplished with a fine eye for detail and an adeptness for how to pace such an atmosphere.

Characterisation-wise, 'Hereditary' is quite compelling and there is a realism to it. The performances are near-perfect, with Gabriel Byrne occasionally slightly under-playing but generally it is one of his best performances in a while. The star here is Toni Collette in a truly marvellous and often moving turn that calls for a mix of grief and terror, Collette grieves with pathos and conveys terror with intensity. Alex Woolf is the other standout for similar reasons though Milly Shapiro is not to be neglected.

It is a shame that the ending is rushed and that plausibility loses its way at this point, instead coming over as silly and like the film had run out of steam.

Otherwise, a very good film that was very nearly excellent. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Loved this movie, it wasn't hard to figure out once it peaked .. but getting there was great. I see people don't like this film and I can understand that. But it reminded me of Rosemary's Baby and that's saying a lot. As the story unfolds you see how truly horrifying this persons (Toni Collette) life has been.. the performances are spot on. This movie really ramps up in the last twenty minutes.. it's not fir everyone but it creeped me out and I watch a lot of horror. Give it a shot .. it's well worth it.

'Hereditary' is sort of like two films in one. Half of the time it is being what I expected it to be, which is a horror movie. The other half though it plays out much like a drama. I would even suggest it's a better film when it's in drama mode than it is when it's in horror mode. The film is over 2 hours in length which is extremely long by modern horror movie standards. The reason I believe for this is that it's trying to fit so much in and achieve so much in such a little time. It's a very ambitious film it would have to be said.

The entire cast were terrific, but Toni Collette absolutely blew me away. The emotional depth she is able to achieve never ceases to amaze me and she is captivating to watch in any scene she's in. I feel like she is one of the most under-appreciated actresses working today. As mentioned though, everyone is terrific and this is one of the best acted horror movies you are likely to find.

I sat in the cinema for a couple of minutes are the credits rolled just trying to work out how I actually felt about the film. I know I liked it, but I also know I didn't love it as much as I had hoped to going in. It certainly surprised me that I was more invested in the real-life drama side of things, and that the horror was almost like an unwanted distraction at times. The horror is almost always about atmosphere and visuals rather than any kind of jump-scare which I always like. What I didn't like though was how casually it jumped from seeming normality to outright suspension of belief. I feel like this could have been bridged a little better. Early on there's a lot of subtlety, then in one scene all of that is thrown out the window at once. I suppose at least the audience knows where they stand from that point onwards.

'Hereditary' is a film made with impeccable quality, of that there is no questioning. In fact it's made so well that I would suggest what story you picked to tell almost wouldn't matter because writer/director Ari Aster clearly has the skills to make it work. I can see opinions being very divided on the film (I even had a couple walk out of the cinema at one point in my showing), but I think the majority will like it on some level and for that reason I would recommend giving it a look.

Generally Regarded as one of the Better Horror Movies of Recent Years.

It's one that Slow-Burns and Creeps Under Your Skin and into Your Head.

Debut Movie for Writer/Director Ari Aster (followed by "Midsommar" (2020).

The Film is Highlighted by some Incredible Camera Work and a Bravura Performance from Toni Collette.

The Other Actors Deliver Riveting Roles that are Demanding and Essential to the Power of this Haunting and Harrowing Movie.

Not Without some Issues, like the Over Two Hour Running Time that is Pushing the Limits of such a Nerve-Racking Template to the Extreme.

The Ending can Alienate some Viewers with a Cultish Trope that can be Over-the-Top or Downright Bizarre.

There is No Doubt that this is a most Unsettling Film.

It is Not an Easy Watch, it's Presented with Painstaking Images with a Rhythm and Style at a Pondering Pace .

Viewers with Patience will be Rewarded while others may Head for the Exits.

Not for Everyone .

If Cerebral Horror with a Slow-Burn is what You Seek, Look No Further.

This is a Well Crafted Exploration of Generational Dysfunction with an Infection of Supernatural Evil.

This film starts off intriguing, then something happens midway through; the writer gave up. He quit. Or got lazy. Or both. He had the audience with him and then...poof, he completely allowed this to veer into absolute ludicrousness. And the ending is one of the all-time dumbest I've ever seen. It's difficult to fathem why Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne signed on to this other than the possibility that they share a genetic link to the director.