An unsettling masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (19 June 2018)

The horror genre (once proclaimed a dead genre by many during the latter years of the 2000's) has been going through a real renaissance as of late. Over the last few years, the genre has revitalized itself with pictures likely to be deemed as classics in years to come, such as The Babadook (2014), The Witch (2015), Get Out (2017), as well as this year's excellent A Quiet Place, among many other low budget hits sprinkled in between. Making noise throughout the horror scene is Ari Aster's debut Hereditary, with many likening it to classics of the genre, particularly The Exorcist (1973). Such bold claims immediately had me skeptical, because whenever a new horror pictures reputation is built upon such comparisons and is reported to be "the scariest horror film in years", I immediately go into said pictures with trepidation. This has happened before, of course, with this years Netflix Spanish possession flick Veronica, which, I felt, was about as by the numbers as you could get.
What a relief it is then to report that Aster's debut is as unsettling and horrifying as the reports have claimed. Opening with the passing of their matriarch, a family attempts to readjust. Distraught mother Annie (Collette) pours all her mourning and efforts into meticulously crafted miniature sculptures/doll houses, whilst her daughter Charlie (Shapiro) spirals into increasingly bizarre and eerie behaviour. After an incident occurs that breaks the family further, Annie crumbles into a state she seemingly cannot return from, adding increasing pressure on the family as their mourning crushingly amplifies. Regarding plot, the less you know the better, as this is a film worth going in knowing as little as possible. With Hereditary, Aster has proved himself to be a writer/director to watch. Few horror films have had the ability to get under my skin, one example being Robert Egger's New England folktale The Witch, and yet with Hereditary Aster has crafted a film involving just about everything that I personally find frightening.
One of the strongest factors of the film is its ferocious, visceral punch in the face. Aster presents us with images that are bound to remain present in my memory for weeks to come, but he holds off from revealing too much too early, allowing our imagination to do the dirty work before the horror is unleashed in all it's horrifying glory. Complimenting the unsettling nature of the film is the lingering camera work courtesy of cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski, who holds on particularly gruesome shots to ensure they have a long-lasting effect on the audience. Adding to the tension is Colin Stetson's electrifying score, which is undeniably one of the strongest horror soundtracks in years.
At the center of it all is an outstanding performance by Toni Collette, who carries the whole film magnificently in what is no doubt a career defining role. Most importantly, it's a film concerned with it's story and characters, and works hard to build upon said characters to ensure we care for them throughout. That's a tricky thing to pull off, especially in horror where schlock and scares and nightmarish imagery can often be placed before character development. And yet here, Aster takes the time to get to know these people, enabling us to really grow invested in their struggles as things go from bad to worse. There's certainly a lot to unravel, particularly between Annie and her stoner/slacker son Peter (Wolff).
An onslaught of terror, unsettling twists and turns become the highlight for the unrelenting third act. Never has a horror film struck such a chord with me; never has one so effortlessly crept beneath my skin and made me feel uneasy. Hereditary is a must-see piece of work. Haunting, unsettling, ghastly and downright terrifying. For a debut, Aster has struck gold. One of the finest the horror films in years.