Hereditary **** (2018, Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff, Ann Dowd, Milly Shapiro) – Movie Review

Debut writer-director Ari Aster’s arty but scary horror mystery movie Hereditary has a lot of things going for it, though brevity and clarity are not among them. Of course he doesn’t need to explain his film, but more, clearer hints might be nice. And, obviously, he has no intention of churning out a gory genre horror chiller. 

As the title Hereditary suggests, it is a tale of family loss and grieving, yet at heart it is an old-style horror movie. Pulling off both tricks at the same time is very clever.

However, one of the things going for it certainly is Toni Collette’s great full-on star performance as middle-aged mother Annie Graham, whose estranged mother dies in her late seventies, leaving her much-troubled daughter, her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne) and late teenage son Peter (Alex Wolff) to face terrifying cryptic secrets about their ancestry in the lovely (and of course creepy) old home she bequeaths to them.

It is remarkable that the terror builds nicely and the harrowing film grips for over two hours (it’s 127 minutes). Commendably, Aster manages a lot of eerie atmosphere, creepy chills and full-on scares, and they are well paced and expertly dotted throughout the entire running time. There are even one or two scream-out-loud moments.

Nevertheless, Hereditary is still too long. Around 90 minutes is about right for this kind of thing. With a little judicious editing down and a bit of clarity, especially at the confused climax, it could have been great. As it is, it is good, maybe even very good. Collette is certainly great here, looking spectacularly wrecked and destroyed, and Wolff isn’t far behind her (though he looks a tiny bit old for this role, but no matter). Byrne is good, as always, though his role is a bit passive and unrewarding, and it eventually just fades away. It isn’t about him. Ann Dowd is essential in support at the psychic medium Joan – she is tremendous – and Milly Shapiro is haunting as the grim-looking little sister, Charlie.

I’m guessing that by the end the heroine has turned into her monster mother, but I really don”t know. We inherit the sins of the parents. Is that it? Answers in an e-mail please. Although this makes the film seem fairly cerebral, it works very nicely as a simple ghost movie scare ride, so please don’t be put off. It is a polished, clever debut.

Aster is a graduate of the American Film Institute, and it kind of shows. He certainly knows his Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, and evidently draws on them for inspiration.

It is R rated for horror violence, disturbing images, strong language, drug use and brief graphic nudity.

Hereditary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 21 January 2018 and was then screened for its UK premier at Sundance London.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com