A truly exceptional and jarring horror film that leaves quite the impression.

Rating: 10/10 (7 August 2018)

I was under the impression that I could no longer be truly frightened by a horror film. Especially those with supernatural themes. The last one I saw in the theater featuring demon-possession, Annabelle: Creation, was entertaining and exceeded my expectations, for sure. I was never really scared while watching it, though. It was fun but there was nothing...believable about that kind of horror to me.
Walking into Hereditary, I was in a completely empty theater auditorium, and I had no clue what to expect. I'd heard a glowing review of the film from one of my favorite authors, Bret Easton Ellis, who insisted in an episode of his podcast that this was a horror film unlike the usual ones we get these days. It had really had an effect on him, and he had so much praise for it, so I knew I had to see it while it was still in theaters. I had very high hopes that I would finally be genuinely frightened by a horror film again, much like I was the first time I had seen Paranormal Activity in the theater as a teenager.
Did Hereditary ever deliver.
Thirty minutes into the film, I became tense; there was no telling where this film was going to go anymore. I felt uneasy, and realized my teeth were firmly clenched together. My anxiety was through the roof. I wanted to see what would happen next and I also hoped for a moment to relax and feel safe. The stunning cinematography and brilliant acting performances from the entire cast had me absolutely immersed in this horror story.
Without giving away too much information - because you should absolutely see this film knowing little about it in order to experience its many surprises - this horror film is not typical in any way. Much like The Babadook, it draws parallels between supernatural events and the experience of mental illness and grief on a family. I feel that Hereditary surpasses The Babadook, however, in its much more effective storytelling and thrilling imagery. One thing you should know before seeing Hereditary is that there are many subtle, yet extremely important, pieces of information that make the conclusion a lot more comprehensible if you pick up on them. Paying close attention to detail is vital when viewing this film, and I very much look forward to viewing it a second time and noticing even more details that I possibly missed. I'm sure there were a few.
I commend Ari Aster's artistry that went into creating one of the best horror films I have ever seen. He truly understands the horror genre and how to do it brilliantly. This being his first full-length film, I am highly anticipating his future work and I'll definitely be purchasing Hereditary when it is released on 4k Ultra HD. I imagine it will be a film I revisit many times, despite how utterly shaken I was after my first viewing. I highly recommend this film to fans of psychological horror; you will not be disappointed.
Film Grade: A+