Writer/Director
Ari Aster’s first feature is a moody horror film, Hereditary, that is extremely well made and unsettling, and it
marks a genuine talent for the future. It also features a bravura performance by Toni Collette.
After
their grandmother has passed away, a grief stricken family must cope with the
aftermath. Their daughter, Charlie, has a mysterious bond with grandma, and the
mother, Annie (Collette), bears witness to strange visions and sounds as she
experiences a mixture of emotions and guilt.
When a horrific tragedy occurs,
she finds herself devolving into depression and losing touch with her family
and reality. After finding some solace in a loss support group, she meets a
fellow attendee who introduces her to the world of mediums to contact the dead.
Amid paranoia, can Annie save her family even if it means sacrificing her own
sanity?
The film is a
thoroughly convincing depiction of a broken family.
Things and people are not what they seem or are out of place. Beginning with The Sixth Sense kind of vibe, it takes the creepy family dynamics
of Get Out and Don’t Look Now and then veers off into dark, Lovecraftian territory.
It is quite effective in its well-placed
scares abetted by startling visuals and lingers with an uncomfortable feeling
of menace long after the shocking end. The
use of Annie’s job designing dioramas adds an element of creepiness with some bizarre
scenes recreated in miniature.
Collette
is the standout, and the film is well cast especially with Alex Wolff and Milly
Shapiro as the teen children. It’s quite a disturbing journey and impressive piece of genre filmmaking
guaranteed to get under your skin. And
just what is that smell?!
***1/2
of **** stars (add ½* for horror fans)
No comments:
Post a Comment