SPOILERS! If I didn't have expectations based on Hereditary this might have seemed better

Rating: 6/10 (31 October 2019)

SPOILERS - DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM!
This is a very engaging movie with an interesting premise, decent writing, gorgeous cinematography and excellent acting. The two big problems are a lack of depth in terms of character development and difficulty relating to or investing in the protagonists. Ari Aster is a brilliant director and writer but spent a little too much screen time setting the tone and atmosphere that would have been better spent on a little more time with the character's backstory. If we knew more about Dani and Christian's motivations, expectations and emotional history it could have made everything about their actions fall into place. As it is I couldn't help but feel that neither of them, or their friends, made significant attempts to escape once they realized that the group they were among was clearly a dangerous cult. They clearly were supposed to be reasonably intelligent people but they sure didn't act like it. I realize there were a number of plot devices designed to make this seem natural, such as being drugged, distracted, separated etc. But it just made it all seem a bit contrived that they didn't make any serious attempts to escape. Anyway, it is kind of sad and frustrating, because otherwise it was a so well done. With 2 1/2 hours to burn he really should have given us more to go on, or made their actions seem a bit more realistic. Also, Florence Pugh is a brilliant actor, her depictions of her character's reaction to extreme grief were very real and unnerving. The scene of the firemen going through her parents house was one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. In fact, I believe it was so disturbing that if anyone saw that who had any experience with anything similar I would be concerned about them seeing that.