Review of Hereditary (2018) by Tyler H — 24 Sep 2018

Imagine watching a morbid family drama while on a horribly bad acid trip - welcome to Hereditary. The film is driven by gripping performances - that perfectly execute the stellar casting, - tense cinematography and a heavy storyline. The directorial debut doesn't begin as something sinister. Rather, the film makes you feel as if a sinister force is guiding you through the tale, holding your hand every step of the way. The unsettling feeling that results gradually winds your emotions tight eventually obliterating any casual psyche you may have been desperately grasping onto - and you may not notice it until it's too late.

The film builds on your expectations of mainstream horror - even entertaining such expectations at points - before unravelling your preconceived notions. Without noticing it, the film etches away at the reality they've carved you into - like dollhouse replicas of real houses, where does Hereditary draw the line while it's capitalizing on your fear?

At some point in Hereditary, you'll be left fearing how the film will end. It's a dreadful feeling that is hard to think about having already been riddled with the anxiety built from what you're witnessing. Very few movies can entertain as many human emotions as Hereditary - grief, dread, sorrow, fear, awkwardness, sympathy and so much more. Stripped of the horror at hand, Hereditary is actually quite a powerful story of grief and mental illness within a family. But let's not forget about the bad acid trip. Hereditary takes that compelling, relatable drama and turns it into one of the most unsettling horror films you will ever see.