A Chilling Descent into Family Horror with 'Hereditary'
Taking its name from the horror movie it pays homage to, ‘Hereditary’ tells the storyline of the Graham family, who are dealing with the consequences of the death of their family member, the matriarch of the clan. SC: They explore their roots and encounter mysterious elements and evil powers and face a frightening fate. On some level, ‘Hereditary’ is a domesticity drama that effectively transforms into a source of horror. First, it is that general mood in the picture; the oppressive mood which turns any scene into a horror scene. In the director’s chair, Ari Aster has managed to build what may be described as a psycho-social film with the goal of exploring the psychological horror that exists within people and the general society.
Special mention has to be made of the cast of ‘Hereditary’ which delivers one of the most outstanding performances on screen. How terrific is Toni Collette as the woman falling to bits because it has become all too evident that life comes with grief and zeal? Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro deliver genuine emotions of both tender exposure and horror, while Gabriel Byrne stays reliably powerful.
Midsommar is a shockingly delicate mark of introduction for director Ari Aster. The subject of the monstrosity of ‘Hereditary’ is Toni Collette’s character, which renders it unique that its creator is a relatively unknown director who proves as skillful at crafting a terrifyingly believable family drama as he is at manipulating the audience’s fear. The music produces that eerie grim feel which pushes the suspense up a notch and adds to the eerie and disturbing feel of the silence that is orchestrated in some of the scenes. It provides a perfect example of how music can be a silent protagonist in the films.
Pawel Pogorzelski presents great visuals by making normal family life look scary. The shots of long steady take and choices of framing contribute to the film’s suspense and screws and scenes’ lighting enhance viewers’ experience of witnessing a world where crime hides behind darkness.
The production in ‘Hereditary’ stands as pseudo for the cruelty of Grahams’ family history concealed by darkness. While makeup and costumes are realistic, the props are stylized; miniature art dioramas are used throughout the film: from the models of roads that Annie creates to the final family’s home – this or that detail will make you feel that the picture is quite realistic. Now I can say that the use of the practical effects provides greater realism to the film and because of it the horror seems more plausible.
This is where the funny editing play the central factor of the movie ‘Hereditary’. These seam lines cuts go hand in hand with horror narrative and build up tension slowly so that sharp shocks do jolt the viewers in the most effective way. Lucian Johnston really gives the film the exact feel of an anxiety driven drama, which does not let the suspense slack until the last moment. It is peculiar though, that this slow-burning is both for its biggest asset as well as an issue, which is applicable to the interpretation of those who deem the gradual unwinding of the tale tedious. But mostly, it contributes to intensify the horror plot.
Main dialogues are quite realistic with regard to the characters’ interpersonal relationships but at the same time, intelligent in terms of abrupt shifts and the focusing on the dark emotional experiences. The script enables characters to actualize the complexity of the disentangling minds, which contributes to the film’s overall anxious feel.
However, in the case of ‘Hereditary,’ the film’s strengths stem from non-conventional horror storytelling coupled with a relentless pace and a non-linear narrative, which might not appeal unto every audience that flocks movie theatres enduring horror films. Most audiences, however, may find this aspect somewhat challenging since the plotline’s various layers become more obvious when viewers pay close attention to the connections between family, destiny, and fear. However, its aim is also its achievement.
’Hereditary’ is an oppressive viewing experience that doesn’t neatly end when the movie does. The movie brings a terror, which is not only visceral but also psychological, which is the terror shared in each person’s life. To summarise, it is a cinema that provokes and unnerves, and therefore is an absolute gem in the context of the psychological horror film.
