Hereditary is an odd movie. It feels like a slow burn, but
it’s more like a ramp that keeps upping itself until it falls right off, like a
demented roller coaster where no one really knows they’re on one until it’s too
late. It’s definitely scarier than most of what’s been made recently, but the
parts that will leave you disturbed long after the movie is over happen early
on, before anything supernatural even occurs, as the family, full of
vulnerable, fragile people begin to unravel.
The story centers on a family of four as they initially deal
with the passing of the children’s grandmother. Several ideas are foreshadowed
from the start, with her passing meant to signify that she might now play a
bigger role in their lives. The director clearly intended to make the mood as
uneasy as possible, with the mother, Annie (played by Toni Collette),
noticeably distressed by souvenirs left in her mother’s belongings, and a
daughter, possibly affected by a genetic disorder, doing strange things like
mutilating birds. Overall, everything seems like it’s held together loosely,
with strings ready to be pulled and torn apart.
Now, the main premise of this review can’t really be discussed
without revealing certain plot points, so if you intend to watch the movie
spoiler-free, I suggest you skip to the end.
—SPOILER WARNING—
The scene where the daughter, Charlie, suffers from an
allergic reaction to peanuts only to be decapitated truly made me terrified,
especially for a parent with kids. It takes such a benign, ordinary situation
(we’re going to a party, be back later), frames it as a horror twist, and leads
to such a tragic conclusion that it overshadowed the entire supernatural
devices that came about as a result. The family dynamics that played out, with
regret, sorrow, and hurt felt by everyone that ultimately leads to all the
strings being torn apart was one of the harsher and more unique turns a horror
movie could take. I could easily see where Annie could have developed into the
true villain, not based on her possession, but because she couldn’t forgive her
son and thought that the only way to satisfy her emotions would be to end it
all. It would have been a character-driven thriller/horror movie that would
have truly impacted the audience. Unfortunately, the director chose to turn
Annie into something manipulated by her mother’s cult because of Charlie’s
death, which leads to Charlie's restoration inside her son’s body. Yes, it was that
confusing, and not half as interesting as the initial dilemma regarding how
Annie’s family could possibly cope with the loss of her daughter. Seeing Annie cut her own head off in mid-air just wasn't half as disturbing as the initial shock of what happened to Charlie, and that was made problematic for the rest of the film as it kept getting sillier and sillier.
OKAY, YOU CAN COME BACK NOW.
With all that said, Hereditary is a solid horror movie worth
watching on Halloween. Everything is spot on, feeding into a real unsettling
atmosphere, with well-framed images that stick with you afterwards, as well as
some jump scares for those who love movies like Paranormal Activity as much as
Rosemary’s Baby. It’s not a perfect movie like some are making it out to be,
but it’s highly effective (in parts, at least) and an experience that few
horror movies nowadays can conjure up.
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