Movie Review: Hereditary

I don't expect Hereditary to redefine the genre and I doubt it will appeal to the horror demographic that prefer overdone and cheap jump scares that's very procedural and drab, but to me, this was arguably one of the best horror films I've seen in years.

It was just a deeply unsettling visceral cinematic experience that really got under my skin. The lingering atmosphere was done impeccably well supported by a fantastic sound design and brilliant camera work that added to the creepy sense of discomfort. There was always tension present throughout the movie with an underlying dread to every shot, some of the scenes had me gasp for air, and one, in particular, that got stuck to my brain even after the movie ended. Huhu.

The premise at the core was not exactly new, but the film managed to have its own identity, skillfully steering away from formula for the most part, and yes, the family drama aspect was painfully magnificent thanks to the superb performances of the actors. Toni Collette was phenomenal as well Alex Wolff, but it was the disconcerting presence of Milly Shapiro that creeped me out for the most part despite not having much of a dialogue. Again, huhu.

With all that being said, I really can't recommend it to everybody, especially if you're one of those filmgoers that need to be spoonfed a formula, but, to me, Hereditary was a fantastically dreadful and layered domestic horror film that got me some legit shivers and that's rare.