Cheap jump scares are not horror

Rating: 8/10 (18 June 2018)

This film was not made to order for moviegoers whose idea of horror is some evil entity popping up every 30 seconds. That being said I thought the pacing was a bit too deliberate at times which may have put off less patient viewers. This attention to detail also serves to elevate this film from instant and constant scarification, and makes the focus on elements that create tension. That's why I enjoyed this film. I've been around long enough to have seen the Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby and I don't feel that Hereditary is quite in that league. I don't know if people are angry because they thought this film was supposed to be that influential or because Hereditary used elements of those films. This film was a very effective film in that not only was it scary and horrifying, but a solid foundation was created, context, by which the horror operates. Rarely is a CGI monster scary. In fact, generally the more I see of the monster, the less scary it gets. So for me, the scariest stuff is in my head. A good horror film is every bit about plot, story line, characters, and tension building, as well as the "monster or demon." They are interdependent for a great film experience.