HEREDITARY: A SCARE THAT LASTS BEYOND THE CLOSING CREDITS

Rating: 9/10 (24 January 2020)

Hereditary made its debut in January of 2018, leaving the audience stunned at the events that were witnessed. Directed by Ari Aster, this supernatural horror film captivates it's viewers psychologically, as well as disturbing many with the chilling scenes of gore.
After the passing of the families secretive and suspicious grandmother, it is clear from the start that something is off with the Graham family. We learn at the grandmother's funeral that her daughter, Annie (Toni Collete), did not particularly get along with her mother. Annie's mother, Ellen, always wanted a son, and that seems to be the main conflict in their relationship. Annie and her husband Steven (Gabriel Byrne) have two children together, Peter (Alex Wolff) (16) and Charlie (Milly Shapiro) (13). We learn at a support group meeting that Annie never let her mother near Peter, but did with her second child, Charlie. Charlie has never been the type of girl to fit in with others, and her mother Annie attributes this to Ellen being able to be a part of her life.
As the movie progresses, we learn that Ellen's grave has been dug up, which seems to be the first signs of sinister acts. The Graham family ends up facing another tragic loss, which creates tension specifically between Peter and Annie. The emotion portrayed by Aster leaves the audience shocked and connected to the family.
As the film goes on we get to dive deeper into the Graham family, making the normal family turn twisted with cults and demons. Although this might sound like an unreasonable story to believe, Aster brilliantly allows the story to progress slowly, causing all of the events to come together in the end in a bloody disturbing mess.
Toni Collete's performance as Annie added the emotions Hereditary needed to become a next level horror film, by adding extreme sadness and surprise, and of course adding the underlying feeling of a certain demise. Collete is also featured in The Sixth Sense, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Critics agree that Hereditary captured Collete's acting in a truly unbelievable way, making her a vital part of the film.
Hereditary scored a rating of 89% from critics, and made $79.3 million in the box office. With the budget of $10 million, Aster highlights the use of angled shots and camera movements. From the beginning, this is evident when scenes jump quickly from night to day, as well as vice versa. Ari Aster uses pan shots to move throughout the room and add hidden messages or people in the background, making the viewers sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation. This style of filming allows the views to be totally emerged in the horror and disturbing events that build as the movie goes on.
Hereditary has the effect of giving the audience a scare that goes much beyond a simple horror movie. Aster has a similar effect in his 2019 movie Midsommer, where a group of American teens find themselves emerged in a Swedish cult. Hereditary relies greatly on eerie background music, but also creates the sense of terrifying silence. This plays with the audience's emotions, making the air feel charged with anticipation.
Although Hereditary was generally well liked, some critics believe the end of the movie was rushed and did not live up to expectations. With Hereditary lasting just over two hours, I believe that more time could have been spent bringing all of the events together creating a less confusing ending.
Overall, Hereditary definitely leaves viewers talking, which is exactly what a good horror film will do. The cult and demons engulfing this film add true horror physically and psychologically. But be warned, the lights in your bedroom may have to be left on for a few nights.