Good scares, but needed more story

Rating: 6/10 (16 February 2019)

HEREDITARY is a deadly serious, slow-burning horror movie that comes across as a mixed bag overall. I admire it for being more focused and scary than pap like the INSIDIOUS or CONJURING movies, but at the same time the writing is a little bit weak, with a lot of built-up mystery and little in the way of satisfactory explanation and natural storytelling. Toni Collette leads the cast and delivers a strong performance (although the younger actors are better), playing a grieving mother beset by family tragedy and frequently strange events. The running time is overlong but there are some good scare sequences here, especially in the second half, shocking twists, and some surprisingly gruesome interludes.