It goes without saying the horror genre is a popular one. Littered with dime a dozen films and cheap scares, studios pump out scary films for wide audiences that focus on surface level scares and neglect the underlying potential of their premise. They too often lack the conscious considerations of creating something truly scary, something that gets into subconscious fears that exist in our everyday life, but which are exposed on the big screen.
In recent years, A24 has been making a valiant effort in distributing films that do just that. Their latest selection is Ari Aster’s Hereditary: a film which depicts the horrors within our own families and those that we inherit from our on lineage. It is a lengthy film. It is a slow film. And it is a methodical one. Something that major studios shiver at as they see teen dollars flee, but which A24 will gladly accept. In an era when films like this are rare, it makes it all the more pleasant when you learn it is not only well crafted, but also very scary, and Hereditary nails both.
After the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette) finds herself grieving. Her daughter Charlie (Milly Shapiro) morns the loss of a grandmother who adored her while son Peter (Alex Wolff) internalizes everything like a typical teenager. The father (Gabriel Byrne) acts as the mediator between the three as tensions in the family rise and sorrow sets in. However, things start getting weird as Annie makes discoveries about her family’s lineage through inherited items and strange behavior.
Unfortunately, that is about all I can say about the plot without creeping into spoilers, but the secrecy of the film is perhaps one of its greatest strengths. The mystery of Annie’s family unfolds strategically, giving you seemingly random details upfront that only make sense at the end when revelations occur. This piecemeal approach bolsters the narrative’s mystery, and it surprisingly doesn’t clue you into the film’s true intentions even as hints are dropped persistently and methodically throughout. It’s a thoughtful method of curation that is reminiscent of horror thrillers like Get Out, but done to a greater effect because of its subversive moments that change the direction and type of horror found in the film.
These narrative revelations come on the backs of three core tenants in the family’s relationship: grief, guilt, and grudges. These emotions are weaved between characters and create a torn family dynamic that is at the heart of the horror in the film. Yes, there is something much more sinister at play, but the film’s horror lies within the familial unit; grief over the loss of a loved one then turns into guilt as blame is assigned to oneself or grudges form as that blame is deflected onto others for their actions. Its very much a domestic horror where the nuclear family of mother, father, son, and daughter are torn apart and made horrific through tragic events, and it is this horror which sustains most of the film’s run time.
Beyond that, there is also the fear that we may inherit the burdens of our parents. The film is called Hereditary after all, so the messaging behind these family horrors is tied to the inheritance of the traits and characteristics our parents have, for better and for worse. The film begins with Annie giving a sermon at her mother’s funeral where she notes her turmoiltuous with her, setting the stage for the relationship on display with Peter and Charlie. There is also a more clear cut metaphor for this hereditary theme in the film, but to describe it would rob the film of its strongest revelation.The notion that we may end up like our parents is exposed by the grief, guilt, and grudges experienced by the family and further pushes the film’s overall depiction of horror within the home.
At two hours seven minutes, the film is a slow burn. Aster does make it count as he methodically sets up the film by emphasizing family dynamics and emotional arcs for characters for the major of the film only to have major releases of winding tension. The film has a nice flow to it, peaking at three heightened sequences of horror with occasional bumps to keep you on edge, but I feel the film could of been tighter by about 15 minutes just so it could have a better density to it. As mentioned above it is an A24 horror film so it is very much like The Witch or It Comes At Night. You don’t get an over abundance of scares like you do with 2017’s IT, but you do get intelligent ones that reveal themselves when appropriate and necessary. This discipline has a richness to it that you don’t get with mass appeal horror as it tries to evoke the cadence found in Rosemary’s Baby or The Exorcist, and it does so with great success.
When the scares do come, they are haunting and full of searing imagery that embeds itself in your memory. Many times the film makes competent use of negative space and plays with deep focus to build suspense, creating some profoundly frightening shots. Long takes where objects appear barley out of the shadows but just enough to make out details last until the scenes overflow with tension, and off putting imagery lingers long after you’ve left the theater. Together, these elements combine and create wonderfully disturbing images that are stirring, eerie, and worth of a few chills.
Hereditary embodies all the characteristics of a great horror film. The depiction of a tangible horror that has a base in reality causes psychological fears to leap off the screen and into your subconscious. Aster’s direction utilizes scares strategically and sparingly, but at the same time effectively, and in the realm of ‘sophisticated’ horror, this is about as good as it gets. While it is often hard or premature to say when a film will become a classic, it seems as if right now Hereditary has all the makings of joining the pantheon of great horror films.
Score: 4.5/5 Stars