Directed by Ari Aster, Hereditary is a psychological horror film that was released in the year 2018. It is centered around family trauma, grief, and the demons of inheritance. Because of its unique approach towards horror, Hereditary was hailed as one of the most terrifying movies of the decade. The film’s haunting atmosphere, chilling performances, and suspicious undertones have earned it a place as a modern classic in horror cinema.
The story revolves around the Graham family. The family is head by Annie who specializes in miniature dioramas and is played by Toni Collette. It begins by documenting the death of Annie’s estranged and secretive mother, Ellen. Following her demise, a strange series of bizarre unprecedented occurences take place while the family consisting of Annie’s husband Steve, teenage son Peter, and eccentric daughter Charlie are trying to cope with her death.
Annie realizes that her mother belonged to a cult, and as the secrets unfold, the family plunges into chaos. The entire premise is an array of psychological trauma fused with supernatural horror as secrets tremble the family and unlock terrifying realities. The film’s climax leaves the audience horrified as it completely reshapes the family’s legacy in possibly the most terrifying way.
Themes: Harrowing Family Heritage
- Grief and Trauma’s Heaviness
At its core, Hereditary creates a nuanced examination of grief and how it affects people and families across the globe. The loss of Ellen serves as the event trigger that sets the film into action, making every character address their emotional scars and unresolved pain. The film is filled with tension due to the complex web Annie’s relationship with her mother and her struggles with parental expectations creates.
- What We Inherit’s Might
Inheritance and its complete theme encapsulating what is passed from one generation to the next, whether it is genetic, emotional, or supernatural casts a theme over Hereditary. It presents the core reason of how family legacies, both tangible and nontangible, influence a descendant. The chaos that the graham’s find themselves in is merely a glimpse of the fate that they can never escape.
- Mental Illness and Supernatural Forces
Ari Aster chiaes the distinction between psychological horror and supernatural horror. It raises questions about the nature of the Grahams’ experiences: are they forms of mental illness or some sort of am occult practice? This ambiguity adds complexity to the narrative making it both terrifying and thought-provoking.
Performances: A Tell Mortal and Emotional Story
Toni Collette as Annie Graham
Toni Collette gives an award winning portrayal of Annie, annihilating the character’s grief, pareanoya, and desperation of poverty. From her gut wrenching cries of anguish to sickening moments of unhinged furious fury, the muse is raw, visceral, and unforgettable. Her performance elevates Hereditary into a deeply emotional experience.
Alex Wolff as Peter Graham
Alex Wolff’s portrayal of Peter is equally compelling. As a teenager who deals with guilt and fear, Wolff captures the fragile side of a young man. His performance during the film’s most harrowing scenes is terrifyingly realistic making Peter a tragic character.
Milly Shapiro portraying Charlie Graham.
An ensemble performance gives a completely new dimension to Shapiro’s Charlie. Her vivid body language coupled with Shapiro’s strange persona creates a Charlie that stays with an audience well beyond the finish of the screen time. Shapiro mirrors that Charlie has already set the tone for the film owing to the nature of the ambience created.
Gabriel Byrne portraying Steve Graham.
Pawel Pogorzelski’s wide-ranging and still images set the world into a feeling of discomfort and claustrophobia; Shapiro’s restrained demeanor during the portrayal of Steve gives the audience something graspable against the rising pandemonium. His role as the reasoned but ever wanting to be in control of the situation parent oscillating in power makes the disintegration of the family dynamics easier to view.
General Theme: An auditory and visual horror.
Ari Aster’s direction is attentive, creating a horror movie that is stunning to look at. The cinematography, or how ‘the picture is taken’, headed by Polish cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski uses wide, fixated versions for the intention of the film. The idea of Annie’s doll-sized models of horror dioramas acts as a visual metaphor depicting the family being controlled by alter egos.
The tension is augmented by the sound design and score, done by Colin Stetson, whose work on the features remains unmatched. Yes, the droning, ambient soundtrack EVERYONE keeps talking about along with the abrupt stop do work hand in hand. The film’s pacing adds a significant amount of dread. For every action there is equal and opposite reaction. Still the dramatics of the film and particularly those measures leech all the goodness that is left.
A New Standard for Horror
When putting subtle themes to the side, Hereditary does stand out in the horror genre for its emphasis on psychological depth and storytelling. Ari Aster does not rely on old horror stereotypes like jump scares and crafty plot twists, but instead creates disturbing films that emerge purely from emotions. The movie’s drama is heavily humanized which makes the supernatural elements more effective.
The movie explores grief and family dysfunction which, alongside classic terror, elevates the film on a personal level. Its new and unique confluence of psychological antagonism and supernatural horror does set a more modern standard for horror filmmaking.
Gathered Feedback on Reception
At the time of its release, Hereditary was praised and touted by both critics and average joes alike. Most of the praise went to the compelling performance of Toni Collette who carried the film. The unique take on the horror movie and its usage of chilling imagery has now made it a classic.
Hereditary gave life to some discussions on the maturing aspects of the horror genre, claiming it to be on the same pedestal as The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby. The shadow of this movie can be felt in more recent horror movies that try to focus on the atmosphere even more than just jump scares.
Conclusion- a Masterpiece that Haunts
Hereditary, as a movie, is not just a horror genre film. Rather, it is a deep examination of grief, family set in the background of a horror film. Ari Aster’s direction achieved superb heights portraying grief masterfully like in a painting and to think that Toni Collette’s performance could grab the audience so much, speaks volumes. Even the story crafted around the film was mind-blowing and the combined effort leaves the audience satisfied even after the credits roll. Truly unbelievable. Hereditary is a vivid and energetic portrayal. It is a guaranteed jaw drop to all the viewers witnessing it. The movie is undeniably a challenge even to the toughest of watching souls. The shocking depiction of a soul deeply disturbed is truly haunting. But very enchanting at the same.
If you consider yourself a true fan of horror, then, this movie is a no brainer. It will undoubtedly make you think. Add this movie to your list of must watch films. One shocking vision in the entirety of the film, and the rest of it will truly grab your core and never let go. One piece that disturbs yet brings a sense of feeling so good, one can sip tea from it. Undoubtedly Hereditary is set to astonish the audience for a couple of years.
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