The critical success of Hereditary was something that initially took me by surprise. Nothing about it’s initial marketing campaign did much to convince me the film would be anything other than another run of the mill supernatural thriller. You’ve seen them all before, ridiculously over expressive acting, paper thin plot, and an excess of jump scares in substitution of smartly built atmosphere. But after ten or so minutes into Hereditary I knew I was dead wrong. Hereditary is a powerful, unsettling, fresh, and surprisingly subtle horror film that narrowly balances thrilling sequences that suggest at both supernatural and psychological horrors.
One thing that struck me immediately about Hereditary was just how colorful the film was, and despite the color- the way director Ari Aster managed to make every scene feel icy and unnerving. There is a sense of dread that something is decidedly not right despite everything being perfectly normal. The sets are packed full of color and detail and are very pleasing at first look, and yet, something feels wrong and you can’t quite place it. Aster beautifully runs with this feeling and slowly builds the unease as the plot progresses. Speaking of plot, the script, also from Aster, is a series of setups and payoffs, one as smartly placed as the last. Everything that Aster does, from the first frame to the last, is deliberate and throughout the film he drops little hints as to what's happening and what events eventually lead to what you’re seeing on screen. The way little bits of dialogue or stylistic choices play into each other is frankly brilliant. There’s something so smart about the series of events and the way seemingly insignificant details become very significant as we roll forward.
But what’s a film without a strong cast to tie it all together? Hereditary features an incredible range of performances that leave the film oozing fear and tension. I’ve heard almost unanimous praise for Toni Collette and Milly Shapiro's work in this film- and rightfully so. Collette runs the spectrum from quiet and grieving, to manic and unhinged and she runs the gambit beautifully. Shapiro as Charlie gives a haunting turn that has a lasting effect on the entire movie and helps to build the mysterious nature of events later on. I can also similarly praise Gabriel Byrne for his grounded performance that in certain scenes really helps to keep the story on it’s feet. But the person I think who was really impressive to me was Alex Wolff as Peter. I’ve enjoyed Wolff in other films but maybe never fully took him seriously, Hereditary changed that for me. Wolff is passionate and absolutely engrossing to watch as the tortured character and every scene he was in had this tangible emotion to it that was such a joy to watch. Every actor really pulls their weight and draws some serious power from the material.
While there’s a lot to like about Hereditary, it’s not perfect. The movie can be a bit of a slow burn and doesn’t always have the tightest pacing, especially toward the middle of the film. Also there are some narrative justifications to setup huge moments in the film, and under scrutiny some of these setups can fall apart. As much as I praised the acting, I feel some overacting does threaten to topple the subtlety the film works so hard to build. The ending as well, while I found it to be a bold choice I am on the fence about it a bit as I don’t fully feel like it closes all of the threads it had build up or hint at. I think I’d rather the ending have either answered all of my questions, or none of them. Preferably the latter.
Minor complaints aside, this is a unique and and bone chilling horror movie. As you peel away the layers of supernatural terror, you discover that that Heredity is also an emotionally affecting meditation on grief and mental illness. If nothing, it’s an unforgettable experience. Even days after I’ve seen it I find myself thinking back to what happened, why they happened, and what early on could have given me an explanation for how they happened. Hereditary is a cold, ghostly, and shockingly meaningful thriller that I think will bring about debate and examination for years to come.