Review of Hereditary (2018) by Carmichael D — 03 Jul 2018

This movie is not for everyone. I had heard glowing reviews about the cinematography and a couple of the individual performances, and so the other night I decided to see what all the hullabaloo was about. I had inadvertently been keeping myself in the dark about the plot specifics, but had of course been exposed to the typical hype that formulates and is disseminated by fans of this trope. Needless to say, the bar was being set ridiculously high by the hyperbole being tossed about in regards to the film's place amongst classic mind rapers such as the Exorcist and the Omen. Alot of white noise to carry in to a movie viewing-- so I wasn't quite sure what to expect as the lights went down and the silver screen began to flicker. What transpired over the next 127 minutes was difficult to describe, but let me do what I can--.

Let's start with the look of the film: Obviously, gorgeous. As far as cinematography, camera work, shot selection, ambiance, angles, vibe, sound, editing, fat guys with boom mics and guys in plaid with beards on rolling camera rigs-- everything looked up to the hype. For a psychological/suspense/horror/drama, the production level and technical confidence and subsequent execution was downright astounding. I's were dotted and T's were crossed in pretty much every discernible aspect of production. To put it plainly; every scene was beautiful, as the director's clarity of vision was on full display. It wasn't just pretty , it was effective and with purpose. The overarching mood of visceral anguish and terror showed up in every shot it was supposed to. It was fucking intense. I felt like someone had crept up behind my chair, and had taken a rusty Phillip's head screwdriver and slowly rammed it into my ear hole for the next 2+ hours (metaphorically, of course). Dread. Holy Paimon of the 8th Circle of Hell! Of particular note, I was mesmerized by the scene where a conversation between mother and son when she was sleepwalking takes place and the seance scene. Hypnotic, repulsive, and stunning, are three words that come to mind. Audience reviews can moan all they want about plot progression or character development or whatever other frivolous excuse for not enjoying the movie, but the movie is a technical marvel.

Story/Plot/Characters: The story is engrossing, if a tad bit convoluted, but very easily worked out once a couple brain cells are applied to its untangling. I, personally, appreciate the fact that the director was true to his vision and did not cater to the lazy and insipid audiences that populate 98% of theatres these days. Some reviews on here are ridiculous and contradictory; "..the story moved slow, but the characters and plot wasn't developed.." Really? Maybe if you dislodged your finger from nose and paid attention to the "slow parts" that you ignored, the story would make more sense. Ugh, these Fast and Furious loving imbeciles are everywhere. Anyway, so Plot-- very intricate, and paced as to allow for immersion and understanding about the dynamics between characters and their respective circumstances. The story winds in a purposeful manner so that it captures you and does not relinquish its hold or indulge your frenzied impulse to escape or marginalize. Events unfold, people are irrevocably changed, and something sinister, be it real or imagined, takes root and commands you to discover it. The characters all work in great coordinated measure to carry that mission throughout. Shall we talk about Toni Collette? Bravura performance. As Annie Leigh, she absolutely disappears into resentment, anguish, loathing, hysteria, and depression. Absorbing, mind-melting, and incendiary. It is her work, arguably, that does the heavy lifting as the lynchpin that binds all the performances, absurdities, the surreal and the grotesque. Brilliant. Also, a bit uneven, but ultimately commendable work by both Alex Wolff in his portrayal of guilt ridden and terrified, Peter, and Gabriel Byrne as conflicted and protective father, Steve.

Overall: A Technical masterwork; Hereditary, does not offer easy answers, but instead challenges viewers by forcing them into the nightmarish rhythm of the storyline. The plot beats are precise and articulate as they work in symphony with impressive, full-throttle character performances to do one of two things; push you into the faction of audience members who refuse to suspend typical disbelief for a "horror" movie, these are those who end up wallowing in disgust, confusion and cynicism, or these deliberate and well-thought-out multi-faceted story threads wrap themselves slowly around your neck like a noose and drag you wide-eyed and inward; a hostage to each disturbing possibility that the director exposes. I, obviously, was in the latter group-- Hereditary hit me like a stun gun. It was a throbbing, relentless, immersive ordeal that kept me spellbound for hours and when it finally released me, It felt like I had survived something.