Hereditário

The reason that Hereditary is worth watching is because of Toni Collette. Her performance is so powerful, complex, and nuanced that you practically feel the emotions she is feeling in each scene. That being said, this is not easy to watch. There's a general unpleasantness hovering over the entire film. It made me feel uneasy, and not in a fun horror movie way. I also think that this film is too cerebral for its own good and it will leave you scratching your head in confusion if you don't do some research. I think Hereditary is well made, I just don't think I'll be watching it again any time soon.

'Hereditary' is sort of like two films in one. Half of the time it is being what I expected it to be, which is a horror movie. The other half though it plays out much like a drama. I would even suggest it's a better film when it's in drama mode than it is when it's in horror mode. The film is over 2 hours in length which is extremely long by modern horror movie standards. The reason I believe for this is that it's trying to fit so much in and achieve so much in such a little time. It's a very ambitious film it would have to be said.

The entire cast were terrific, but Toni Collette absolutely blew me away. The emotional depth she is able to achieve never ceases to amaze me and she is captivating to watch in any scene she's in. I feel like she is one of the most under-appreciated actresses working today. As mentioned though, everyone is terrific and this is one of the best acted horror movies you are likely to find.

I sat in the cinema for a couple of minutes are the credits rolled just trying to work out how I actually felt about the film. I know I liked it, but I also know I didn't love it as much as I had hoped to going in. It certainly surprised me that I was more invested in the real-life drama side of things, and that the horror was almost like an unwanted distraction at times. The horror is almost always about atmosphere and visuals rather than any kind of jump-scare which I always like. What I didn't like though was how casually it jumped from seeming normality to outright suspension of belief. I feel like this could have been bridged a little better. Early on there's a lot of subtlety, then in one scene all of that is thrown out the window at once. I suppose at least the audience knows where they stand from that point onwards.

'Hereditary' is a film made with impeccable quality, of that there is no questioning. In fact it's made so well that I would suggest what story you picked to tell almost wouldn't matter because writer/director Ari Aster clearly has the skills to make it work. I can see opinions being very divided on the film (I even had a couple walk out of the cinema at one point in my showing), but I think the majority will like it on some level and for that reason I would recommend giving it a look.

Generally Regarded as one of the Better Horror Movies of Recent Years.

It's one that Slow-Burns and Creeps Under Your Skin and into Your Head.

Debut Movie for Writer/Director Ari Aster (followed by "Midsommar" (2020).

The Film is Highlighted by some Incredible Camera Work and a Bravura Performance from Toni Collette.

The Other Actors Deliver Riveting Roles that are Demanding and Essential to the Power of this Haunting and Harrowing Movie.

Not Without some Issues, like the Over Two Hour Running Time that is Pushing the Limits of such a Nerve-Racking Template to the Extreme.

The Ending can Alienate some Viewers with a Cultish Trope that can be Over-the-Top or Downright Bizarre.

There is No Doubt that this is a most Unsettling Film.

It is Not an Easy Watch, it's Presented with Painstaking Images with a Rhythm and Style at a Pondering Pace .

Viewers with Patience will be Rewarded while others may Head for the Exits.

Not for Everyone .

If Cerebral Horror with a Slow-Burn is what You Seek, Look No Further.

This is a Well Crafted Exploration of Generational Dysfunction with an Infection of Supernatural Evil.

First of all, I have to say that Toni Colette is one hell of an actress, She was brilliant in this.

I was gripped by this movie, a slow burner , creepy , unnerving , and , for me , very disturbing. I was quite moved in parts , and in others I was terrified . A movie has not affected me like this one for some time, it stayed in my head afterwards. I highly recommend it .

Great cast , excellent performances , just a great movie !

This film starts off intriguing, then something happens midway through; the writer gave up. He quit. Or got lazy. Or both. He had the audience with him and then...poof, he completely allowed this to veer into absolute ludicrousness. And the ending is one of the all-time dumbest I've ever seen. It's difficult to fathem why Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne signed on to this other than the possibility that they share a genetic link to the director.