Stunning Atmospheric Suspense

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2019)

Let me start by saying I was very skeptical of this movie. I'd heard and read reviews that spanned from "best horror movie ever" to "complete waste of time". I realize this is the way of the world nowadays with every opinion slipping into extreme ends of the spectrum. So, I started this movie with a reserved sense of curiosity, knowing I would probably love it or hate it. Well I'm happy to say I loved it. I watch a lot of horror movies and I don't know if any movie accomplishes what Hereditary does in the way it does it. I'm hard pressed to find a film that so perfectly sets the stage of an emotional, atmospheric plunge into a suspenseful, lonely hell. This movie is a bag over the head, punch in the face rollercoaster ride. I havent watched a movie that more successfully uses music to create a creepy atmosphere. Instead of in your face gory effects and jump scares (which I do enjoy as well), this movie slowly lulls you into a place where discomfort and emotional dispair slowly seep into your subconscious. I found I kept asking myself "what the hell is going on", in the best possible way. The creepy factor of this movie is out of the stratosphere and you're not even fully aware until it ends and you remember you're not living the character's purgatory. The plot and excecution are unique and the creepy "background" scares are amongst the best I've seen. I would recommend this movie to anybody that likes horror/suspense.