Review of Hereditary (2018) by Loveland — 09 Jun 2018

Hereditary is a psychologically tormenting slow-burn horror film unlike anything I've seen before. This is how horror is supposed to be done. The most impressive part of this movie is the fact that there were literally zero jump scares.

It is all a slow but terrifying build up to what can ultimately be described as a demented ending. First off, the acting on the part of everyone is outstanding, especially Toni Collette. The story is very well done, but at times you can get lost in what exactly is going on and I felt they could have done a better job explaining at times.

Much of the film's emotional duress comes from the drama within the family, which adds another layer to the depth and terror. I've seen some negative reviews from people saying that the movie took a bad, unexpected turn or something in the last 20 minutes, but I disagree.

There are multiple hints at what is truly going on throughout the film if you pay attention, so the end shouldn't come as a surprise. The cinematography was outstanding, and I think they hit the perfect atmosphere throughout the film.

They straddle the line between "really demented" and "just messed up" perfectly throughout the movie. This is the first horror film I've seen in a very long time that made me lose sleep.

Despite me rating it an 8, this movie definitely isn't for everyone. Some will find it to be too much, and they aren't completely wrong to do so. To me it was outstanding, and would recommend to any moviegoer who is up for the emotional torment Hereditary has to offer.