Surprisingly torpid and frustrating horror film that drops the ball

Rating: 6/10 (2 July 2018)

Although quite gripping in some places, this film generally left me bewildered at what so many critics were talking about when they praised it to the high heavens. Not because it's terrible but because it's an awfully ordinary film in a lot of ways. Lack of pacing and uneven performances are flaws that critics usually don't forgive.
It's a story centered around a family coping with grief and recent loss. Giving away more details would just be unfair. I went in knowing as little as possible and that's what you should do too- IF you plan on taking the time to go see this.
Performances here a mixed bag. Toni Collette vacillates between being the film's driving force and at other times being one of its biggest liabilities. In some of the film's intended moments of high tension, her histrionics can border on B-movie acting, which is very strange because back in the day, she gave a powerful supporting performance in "The Sixth Sense". Gabriel Byrne gives a dutifully stolid performance as the father in the family and his stoicism is more a counterweight to Colette's reactive performance. Milly Shapiro is an intriguing talent as the daughter, but this film gives us just a taste of her acting chops and nothing more. Alex Wolff is a talented actor who is well-utilized in this film as the teenage son.
The film's biggest problem is its long stretches that lack any energy at all. Some moments in the film linger on and on, sometimes to a dulling effect. A film that is noticeably lifeless for any considerable period is not going to easily make up for such a flaw especially if it doesn't finish strong. I found the second half to be more annoying than scary. In the end, this is a near-miss because I do sense a potential master craft in the hands of director Ari Aster. He just might need a really good editor, going forward. Not recommending this film, as it was mostly disappointing.