Review of Hereditary (2018) by Jpritcha — 02 Jul 2018

I have a hunch that some of the people panning this film are fans of the found footage shock fests and gross out torture porns that have hijacked the horror genre for the past decade. This film isn't for them. It's not the greatest film ever made, but it achieves what it sets out to do very well. The slow pace may bore some, but the character development is some of the best in any genre. Toni Collette's performance alone carries the movie, I really hope she gets some awards recognition for this. The emotion she portrays feels disturbingly real in best way, you can feel her pain and psychosis. Scares are lingering and the supernatural elements are handled cleverly and without becoming plot contrivances. The plot is not the movie's strongest element, but it works and is presented in an extremely clever way that keeps the mystery intriguing throughout. Certain aspects of the plot feel absurd, but the strength of the character development pushes the absurdity into the realm of cosmic horror.

If all you're looking for is a shock fest to make you jump and squirm, this isn't it; go rent paranormal activity or saw. Hereditary represents what I love about horror as a genre. It can induce and examine complex negative emotions that leave a lasting impression on viewers. It makes you think about your own mortality, the **** things you've done or had done to you in your life, and what consequences it all may have. Horror done well like this can be the modern day equivalent of a Greek tragedy.