Disturbing rather than scary

Rating: 9/10 (27 June 2018)

Considering this is Ari Aster's first feature film I feel he has done a remarkable job with 'Hereditary'. This comes across particularly in the actual filmmaking as the direction, cinematography and sound design are all superb in creating an atmosphere of dread pretty much throughout the entirety of the runtime. Special mention must also be made for the lighting which is crafted so exquisitely to create some beautiful shots.
In terms of performances Toni Collette is outstanding, as she has so many different aspects of her character to explore, but manages to pull it off. This is complimented by some decent performances from Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro as her children.
However, what I most appreciate about this film is the subtle narrative seeds that are sown at the beginning and how that leads into the psychological horror that is prioritised by Aster. It all comes together in a story about a family that is ravaged by tragedy and how they cope with that. The approach to the psychological horror is also exemplary, as in certain shots there are objects/people that you can barely just see, making you wonder if there is anything there at all, which contributes to the disturbing atmosphere.
Whilst I can understand why some people hate this film, due to its slow pace and lack of traditional scares, it's not something I personally had an issue with. I have a minor gripe as around the midpoint of the narrative I found myself to be somewhat disengaged in the plot developments, but I was soon drawn back in. Overall, this was an intriguing horror film that I will be revisiting.