Hereditary reviewed by Mark Kermode
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 มิ.ย. 2018
- Mark Kermode reviews Hereditary. When the Graham family matriarch passes away, dark family secrets start to surface.
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I knew Kermode was going to be disappointed, from his earlier video, in which he complained that Hereditary was being compared to The Exorcist. I went into this movie with absolutely no expectations, and I was completely floored by it. It's been six days since I've seen Hereditary, and it still haunts me.
Yeah for real Mark missed the mark and he has to admit he brought way too much prior judgments and apprehension to his viewing
For me, Mark has walked into this film expecting that a reviewer’s comparison to The Exorcist is the same reaction that he is to have. I walked into this film without seeing the trailer, purposely avoiding any preconceptions I may have got from marketing and prior critical reception and this film has had the most profound effect on me out of every cinematic experience I have been in. The state of grief and horror this movie put me was almost immeasurable, and it was a truely, truely horrifying experience - unlike one I have ever had since Nic Roeg’s Don’t Look Now (1973). It is a true modern masterpiece and Kermode has spoiled it for himself through a sin when critiquing cinema: walking in with overwhelming, unrealistic preconceptions.
Both of you are correct. I keep hearing comparisons to Don't Look Now, so I'm definitely going to have to check it out. I was hyped for Hereditary the day I saw the trailer. But I made myself calm down, even after all of the critical praise. I didn't care for The Witch, and quite a few movies that have been surrounded by hype. I went into this one, knowing it would be good or bad. Either way, I wasn't going to let it bother me.
Six days later, and I still can't shake this sickening feeling I get, whenever I recall certain scenes. I haven't been this affected by a horror movie, since I was a kid. In fact, I don't think ANY movie has ever had THIS specific effect on me. It's so unpleasant, yet at the same time, I feel compelled to see it again. It was traumatic, to say the least.
Word Unheard booked in to see it again tomorrow, despite the fact I cannot get this horrific extended shot out of my head. I honestly have no shame in saying that the sequence I am mentioning made me weep like a baby, and no other film has ever lead me to do so.
Crazy Dude I did not, and have never, forgotten that Mark Kermode, a man whose opinion I value often very highly and a man who looks into a film more than many others in his line of work, has seen an incredible amount of horror movies. With this film, I doubt the argument he’s pushing is that horror movies are becoming unoriginal, which undoubtedly most mainstream modern horror does suggest - If anything, this film suggests the opposite. What I feel you are missing is that this film is so much more than a horror film, and by throwing this blanket term of “modern horror film” over it as if it fits into a culture of passionless, gimmicky filmmakers solely interested in making money, you ignore the value that this gem, amongst several others, hold and that there are films that break through with triumph. I presume from the way you are addressing this that you haven’t seen the film, if you have, I’d love to hear what you think of it; if you haven’t, don’t take what other people say about it and experience it.
I feel like Kermode would have liked this a lot more if it hadn't been so overhyped for him
I do not. He liked it at first, then the film unravels.
Agreed, and I'm not sure that kind of fickleness is good for objective criticism. He's looking for flaws for a pretty flawless movies. The movie delivers a lasting effect. IT WORKED.
@@3589546 pretty flawless movie? in your opinion maybe but i'd argue the contrary.
"Sporadically scary" - That's going straight on the poster.
Kind of sick of seeing comments saying Mark is wrong. He has his opinion, and you have yours. Deal with it
I couldn't disagree more. It takes a lot for a horror movie to scare me and this one legitimately scared me.
Your opinion is wrong, and inherently inferior to Kermode's as he's an expert. You're not an expert. *You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong*
@@MattSingh1 lol, okay cupcake.
I didn't notice this the first time, but that distant exterior shot of the house at night before the ish really starts to go down at the end if the movie you can see the naked cultists standing around the house. When I saw that on a rewatch (what was I thinking?!) it literally gave me shivers which has never happened before; and this when I knew what was coming! It was just such a creepy and unsettling final stretch of the film. Freaked out just thinking about it; glad I don't live in an isolated country house right now!
Everyone ready to play the Mark Kermode Exorcist drinking game for this review? 🍻
You're clearly mad about The Exorcist comparison 🤣
Mark Kermode: I hate it when people compare films to The Exorcist because comparisons are lazy and nothing can ever be The Exorcist
Also Mark Kermode: "It's a lot like Rosemary's Baby"
I mean to be fair in his case, he's referring to the fact that it borrows plot elements from Rosemary's Baby. Which it absolutely does.
Like what venomshock said. Also the comparison to the exorcist is just like comparing The Brazil side competing the 1970 World Cup and The Barcelona side of the 2010’s....... a pointless exercise. But ‘being like rosemarys baby’ is just a assertion of their similarity?
A Chubby Squirrel= another pompous internet douche that self-aggrandises
Just a trend I've noticed; the most lauded horror movies these last couple of years really polarize audiences - The Babadook, Oculus, It Follows, The Witch, Get Out, A Quiet Place, etc. Horror is a largely polarizing genre to begin with, and all of these (+ Hereditary) seems to be the kind of movies people either love or hate.
TheHitherto get out and a quiet place weren’t that polarizing, but yes the other films you mentioned were
I dunno, I've seen people being really harsh to Get Out. Especially after it got nominated for Academy awards.
I don't think the movie that you're talking is polarizing. They are modern horror movies that really loved by the fan of genre only a small group of people is bashing on their success just to be the cool guy who like something different. The one that really polarizing by both fan and critic is a movies like Mother!, Evil Dead (2013), Scream 4 etc.
Not really a horror film but I feel A Ghost Story should be on the list considering it's subject matter. Even Mark was shouting praises from the hills, completely disagree with him on that pretentious arthouse piece
TheHitherto almost everyone agreed it was good I think the main issue I and others had was that it wasn't as great as many had built it up to be
Comparing films to The Exorcist is just lazy constructive criticism. The same when someone says "the best film in 10 or 20 years".
I got a Rosemary's Baby vibe from it
It's not like The Exorcist, it's very reminiscent of Rosemary's Baby. It's almost like an indirect, spiritual remake of it.
Rosemary's baby was annoying to watch due to so many characters acting wrong while the main character seems to not be remotely human in her interactions with all the people who act wrong...
Seen a lot of polarizing audience opinions on this. I think much like with The Badadook, certain factions of modernized horror audiences are not gonna appreciate this sort of old-school, atmospheric & psychologically driven horror in the same way as others might. I happen to find this sort of horror, that was very prevalent in the 70's in particular, to be the most effective kind but it doesn't seem to have the same impact on everyone.
The two films referenced from the past are The Shining and The Exorcist . This has nowhere near the presence of either of these movies so really doesn't deserve the appreciation of either of the audiences you refer to.
bevhip1 I saw Hereditary a couple of days ago & I really liked it. Guess it proves the point about polarizing views.
Last night i went to see Hereditary with no expectations ,
which is the only way to see a film but not an easy thing to do these days, this film scared me witless like no other , a runnerway juggernaut i was willing it to end
from about 30mins in couldnt look couldnt look away
admittedly i do not watch many horror films but have seen most of the classics
this is no cheap noise in the night eerie music crap, it has a real feeling of dread from the first frame with a very sinister storyline great acting screenplay and soundtrack a must -see but not for me anytime soon. 10/10
Have to agree with Mark. The first 40 minutes or or so were great, after that - although I did enjoy it - it all felt a bit disjointed and lacking in focus. I think I expected, and possibly wanted, something a bit more allegorical or ambiguous, and it felt like a bit of a copout when the medium element was introduced (I think because of movies like Insidious and The Conjuring, I've now got seance fatigue, although Hereditary was unquestionably far superior than those efforts). Also, as Mark pointed out, some of the exposition was very on the nose (the sleepwalking stuff in particular). I also thought the pacing was a bit off - it started to feel slightly sluggish in the middle, then went straight to crazy town the moment the medium was introduced.
Having said all that, I loved the score and sound design; Toni Collette was superb and I thought it was extremely well shot and very atmospheric. It had some great moments and did a good job at sustaining a sense of unease, but I can't say I ever found it particularly scary.
Yes it started off so well, then went downhill before it was half over!
Some of the best scenes- the dinner table for one, the sleep-walking for another, the seance for a third, and the most beautiful bits of original score- take place AFTER the central incident.
This is why I like Mark. I still loved the film, but I can see and understand his point of review. Explains himself well. Good review.
Kevin Pfeiffer he's a real and professional film critic
I like that it's causing such a divide in opinions from so many respected people in the industry. That means it will be talked about for a long time and won't fall by the waste side like so many other horror movies from recent memory. People don't seem to talk about Get Out as much as it was loved and yet people are still having conversations about The Witch and The Babadook and so on.
Corey Posnanski The general public loved Get Out much more than horror fans which is why it isn't mentioned much anymore. The Witch and The Babadook were both much more dense films than Get Out and have much greater subtext than Get Out ever had. Sadly, intelligent films aren't nominated for Oscars, particularly intelligent horror/genre films. The last genre film to win an Oscar was "Silence of the Lambs" back in the early 90's. Get Out was more of a social issue/message film hidden under the guise of a horror film. It's ludicrous 3rd act was what prevented it from achieving cult status and relegated it to the brief '15 minutes of fame' file folder in the dustbin of history.
Love that he closed with a reference to it being somewhat reminiscent of Exorcist 3, aka one of the best slow creep, art horror flicks ever made.
I think Mark's dissapointment comes mostly because the movie goes somewhere a bit more Hollywood with its exposition in the last 30 minutes. While I agree that the movie "explained" more than I would've liked, I still found it incredible.
Daniel Cornelissen I liked that in the end, it was an old fashioned, campy horror movie. I've heard others complaining about the ending, but it was kind of a nice genre tip of the hat. Maybe audiences were expecting a more pretentious horror movie, instead of a really good traditional one.
The Exorcist is sporadically scary to be fair. There’s a lot of hospital visiting and crisis of a priest’s faith before the birdnoise gets real.
Would you (i'm talking about anyone here) recommend I see Hereditary or Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom tomorrow? I'm really stuck with what to decide as i've heard mixed reviews from both films - and i'd sort of like someone to compare the two for me. Thanks
Go watch hereditary imo
Huh, interesting. I watch a LOT of horror films, and I haven’t been this uncomfortable watching a horror film since maybe Martyrs. A lot of that is on the strength of the brilliant sequence alluded to in this review, but I think a lot of it has to do with the slow-build pacing and sense of nightmarish inevitability to the whole thing.
Where a lot of lesser films would have gone for easy jump scares, this one is content to linger for uncomfortably long periods on a single shot.
That said, I expect a lot of mainstream theater audiences will hate it precisely because it doesn’t have that James Wan “jump scare every X minutes” formula.
teach horror and have watched a lot of horror cinema, and I found the film to be predictable and not very scary. I loved the cinematography and set design, but the overall narrative? Meh.
Huh, interesting. I do think the strongest stuff is mostly front-loaded in...that one sequence (you know the one). The Rosemary's Baby stuff is a little less compelling and could've probably done with a little less exposition, but even then I thought some of the stuff at the end was really well executed. Some people apparently found the head-banging thing funny, but I thought it was wonderfully unnerving.
I think, though, the film is less "scary" than it is just...unpleasant and tense and draining, which is why I made the Martyrs comparison. I think that one hits a lot of the same emotional notes, more or less.
Oh, well. So it goes!
Empress (a reference to Chambers?), you are the nicest poster:)
Because I could see the ending coming, I wasn't particularly scared (the film reminded me, more, of Don't Look Now than anything else). And I really wanted the motifs to be carried through: we start off with this amazing shot of the model house which becomes the big house, but we don't have the shift/trick of size/scale again, nor is Annie's fixation with model houses developed in any way. So much seemed incidental, which is okay in some films if randomness is a theme/the point, but is less acceptable if the entire film is about how over-determined Annie's life is.
Oh, I did, also, love the sound sound design.
Thanks for the gentle and generous post.
Agreed! Easily my favorite movie of the year, possibly even 3 years. Hereditary was brilliant!
I knew as soon as it was compared to *The Exorcist* that this was going to be a hard one for Mark.
I’ve got to agree - there was a lot of exposition in parts of this movie in order for it to make sense - the film should’ve definitely taken a more obscure / implied route or focused on mental health / grief a lot more in that final act
My thoughts exactly. Started off so well then the second half of the film completely lost me. Such a shame.
My wife is a massive horror film junkie and I am also into the genre, we both loved it and can’t stop talking about it, although fair play to Mark for acknowledging the big happening in the first act and giving it the praise it deserved, as that moment and its immediate aftermath were genuinely breathtaking and mindblowing
I kinda wished i saw it at home on my own to be honest. People in the audience laughed in certain places, making it look a bit lame. If i had seen it without that atmosphere in the theater i would have witnessed the over the top creepiness as horror and not just laughably silly. Seems there's a very fine line with this one. I still think it was brilliant though. One of those movies you're thinking about hours after watching it. Connecting bits and seeing how cleverly, parts were ironed out in the writing, ect.
I disagree with this review completely. It’s spectacular through and through. The only thing I agree with is his comparison to The Witch and It Comes at Night.
You need to see more classic horrors then rewatch Hereditary
It's really let down by the ending, it explains itself way way too much.
Loved the film and disagree with some points Mark makes, but he explained them well, and that's why I respect his opinions.
Yes yes yes
I don't scare easily, but Hereditary really shook me. I loved it.
I really love the movie and whilst I do think it does perhaps lean towards a much more conventional plot in the 2nd half, I think it's the execution that makes it absolutely terrifying. I would say in terms of how scared I was by it, it is more scary than The Shining, is it as good as The Shining? No. But, it's a masterfully directed film. I love the slow lingering the shots, the incredible sense of dread it creates and the exploration of grief and guilt is really well done as well. It's horrifying and I do think it is more comparable, stylistically, to things like The Witch and It Comes At Night, than The Exorcist, although in terms of scares, it's more like The Exorcist. I like it more than The Witch, but not as much as It Comes At Night, which is one of my favorite films ever. Hereditary is fantastic and probably the best movie of the year so far for me.
I went into this film having not even seen the trailer or heard the hype. As someone immersed in horror Its now my all time favourite ever. Toni Colette and Alex wolffe are astounding.
I really loved this one. All the psych thrillers/ horrors A24 has had their names on in the past few years are absolutely phenomenal
Pro tip : if you think you may be having dinner in a psycho-social horror story, turn some lights on. Why is everybody having dinner in the dark?
Seen it today thought it was brilliant.
Reminded me of films like Mother, The Ritual and Wicker Man
It's very well crafted, and genuinely scary, but Don't look now, and The Exorcist are on a totally different level.They have a psychological paranoia about them that are just masterpieces in the genre
If I'd seen it on The Horror Channel at 2am it would have been quite impressive but it just wasn't the film is was built up to be.
This is why I love Mark Kermode! No matter how much I disagree with him (and I definitely disagree with him on Hereditary), he brings out enough charisma and detail to how he feels about the films he has watched, rather than just saying “it’s great” or “it sucks”. It helps me understand his thoughts and criticisms. Great review Mr. Kermode, despite disagreeing with you; Hereditary is the best film I’ve seen this year next to Isle of Dogs!
Agree with this review. The script needed some tweaking and serious editing around the middle of the film. The first and final acts were incredible though.
Benn Eden
3:01 'psychogeography' was coined by Guy Debord, essentially, drifting through spaces for amusement - what we know today as urban exploration. He wrote: "the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals" - so nothing to do with the linked psychological states of a family. I get what Kermode means but he shouldn't use this pre-existing and widely known term to express it as it is not used in this way.
I thought the same thing when First Reformed and You Were Never Really Here, were advertised as the new Taxi Driver (my favorite film and what I think is the best film of all time) but they both ended up being quite amazing. I did have a sense of dread going in to them though because they had been compared to the incomparable.
The setup, character development was superb, all the threads that were being pulled ultimately lead to a very anti-climatic borderline comedic final act. The acting is top class though. This movie may not be The Exorcist but Toni Collette is this season's Frances McDormand.
Pros - character development & family arc, lack of jump scares.
I feel like this movie would have worked better if the final act turned into a dark comedy, that way the laugh everyone made during the final attic scene would have been intentional.
Disagree with the film being better but I would agree that Collette's performance is better than McDormand's.
My sold-out theater went from being disturbed and horrified to laughing out loud by the end.
I thought the attic scene was horrifying and troubling.
It does feel like the end is an absurd comedy anyway, there's a dissonance between the horror elements at the end and the actual meaning of these events. Annie's body floats in a comically silly way up the treehouse. The cult members who seek knowledge present in the nude which makes them appear foolish. Even the ceiling headbang appears engineered to garner laughs. The film seems somewhat deliberate in arriving at this conclusion, and in a twisted way it suggests that something good or useful(?) came out of the troubles of this broken family. I think that the ending serves as a humorous meta-commentary on the nature of horror movies and perhaps the trappings of the genre elements.
Brendan Jamieson
That's because most of them didn't get it.
They laugh out loud because they can't piece films like this together.
I’m kinda still trying to figure out what I think of the movie.
Many in cinema laughed at the end when I watched, which was not the intention I guess.
It’s stuck with me though and I have no doubt that Toni Collette has made one of the great performances. I may need to watch again for forth time.
Spot on, Mark.
YES, all of this. Started out promising, but on the second half I was like "oh..this plotline again?" I totally thought it would be something completely different. It was ok, had the potential to be great.
The problem is expecting it to be like something else. In today's era where I've seen everything in horror, of course Hereditary was going to cover downtrodden path but I praise it for going places deeply disturbing.
Great review as ever from Kermode, even if I disagree. Hereditary grabbed me from the word go and didn't let me relax, I'm still thinking about it 2 days later. I fully understand what he's saying, but it's a film that challenges us, encourages dialogue and discussion, and it has some sensational performances and camerawork. I'm a huge fan.
Russ Wilson I know what you mean, I saw Hereditary last night and while I wasn't freaked out at the time I now find myself unable to get the film out of my mind and not wanting to look in the dark corners of my home.
It was brilliant. One of my favorite films of 2018.
saw it without knowig a thing and it was amazing! Watch it for yourself reader
I feel horror should be reviewed like a comedy. It’s subjective. You might not find a film funny but you can respect that it is a masterpiece in film and that it might be scary to others. I nearly pooped my whole pants watching this and I certainly couldn’t sleep. But also with hereditary this is more about the family drama and the horror is an aid to keep you feeling the dread of a dysfunctional family
New studio?
I'm really looking forward to it!
Quite shocked was expecting a glowing review from Mr Kermode still going to watch this at the cinema though hope am not disappointed.......
This is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. The story is so layered that it must be rewatched multiple times to fully appreciate its message. It’s like a puzzle piecing all the information together. Truly brilliant cinema.
I came to the conclusion that the ultimate message, is basically what it says on the tin... it’s hereditary.
But for the Graham’s, what they have inherited from generations that came before them is hell on earth. Unbeknownst to the Graham family, they are the next generation of a long-standing demonic bloodline. (Only the cult are aware of this fact and orchestrate every scenario to help the demon king Paimon get a male host)
Annie, Peter and Charlie each have their personal “self”, but also in them they have a demon soul bursting to break free and take full control of the host. This excludes the father, who is somewhat a literal and metaphorical saint throughout the movie.
We are watching a war of Good vs Evil taking place within each of the main characters.
Each one from the mother’s bloodline is tainted with this Demon who ultimately wants to be a male and be the sole ruler / king Paimon, and will kill even its own family members to get there. Annie sleep walking is actually Paimon taking control. This is why she attempts to burn them while they sleep. It’s Paimon trying to destroy the competition. Even subconsciously, Annie has resentment towards Peter as he is ultimately a better host for Paimon and Annie knows this, subconsciously. You can see they each have basically a split personality. Their individual self, and also their inherited Demonic bloodline. We witnessed the Demon successfully erase peters soul and take control of him, a male host, with the help of the cult.
This had been the plan all along.
The family never had any hope.
It makes you question your own family history and how little we know of where we originally come from, what runs through our own bloodline? What have we actually descended from?
This is ultimately what cut to the core of me after studying this film. Absolute masterful piece of art from Ari Aster. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
way more stuff happens that ties in with this theory but you need to see it for yourself to fully appreciate it.
I highly recommend you watch this movie multiple times, it will change you.
Thanks for stopping by 💋
In the theater I saw it in (The Colonial, original shooting location for The Blob! when the teens run from the cinema) two people left because they found the film two scary. I regret that I did not ask the usher who told me this when exactly that was since I did not find it particularly affecting, save for that one moment you mentioned. I really want to talk to someone who had this terror-ride experience of the film because I agree with you that, most likely, they are not big horror fans. While watching I kept thinking, "Is this good, do I like this?" which is probably not a good sign. Here's hoping the director learned the lessons he needed to learn for his next one.
I liked The Exorcist 3 except the end. Just like Hereditary it had an atmospheric and suspenseful build up to an anticlimactic ending. With The Exorcist 3, the studio interfered and demanded that ending. I wonder if something similar happened with this film.
I consider myself well versed in horror and I enjoyed the film overall. I enjoyed the acting and admired the tone and atmosphere they set up and there were (as Mark says) some very well done moments in the first act. And I did at times find it very unsettling. That said the film is not ground breaking in terms of plot and because of the references to certain other horror movies it's very easy to predict where it's going. And yes the crowd were laughing wildly about it on the way out.
I thought it was good, even the ending. It must be hard to marry a grim family drama with witchcraft/devil worship which is a kind of kooky subject. I enjoyed it, as I came out though I thought of Ti West's 'House of The Devil' which I prefer. I think once the movie had turned to delirious madness it really should have pulled out all the stops and gone completely nuts. There's a very good film breakdown/discussion on the Screen Junkies TH-cam channel.
I loved this film a great deal. That’s the beautiful thing about the enjoyment of film. It’s so darn subjective. For me this film really stayed with me long after the credits but I totally get that it’s not everyone’s cuppa
I don't know if the Good Doctor has ever paralleled my own opinion so exactly
Hereditary is brilliant. Kermode doesn't appreciate Aster's radical approach. As far as film form goes -Aster walks a fine line. but more importantly he successfully places the viewer inside this woman's dreadfully traumatized mind. at the end you wake out of one nightmare only to find that reality has turned into another. Merciless and truly ghastly - this film brought my psyche to its knees.
I didn’t mind the standard horror tropes at the end. The first two acts of the movie were powerful enough to ease me into them. The acting was outstanding and the themes were apparent but not overbearing. I agree that the comparisons to other horror movies didn’t do it any favours, but it is a more complete film than the Babadook and It Comes At Night. 9/10 for me
I felt unnerved from beginning to end and as never sure what was real and what wasn't. It was visually stunning and the actors brought their characters to life very effectively. Also, I would love to study a course in Psycho-geography.
Wow a barracuda jacket. I used to have one in 1977. lining looks the same but I think the cuffs are made different. Now I want one again. About the movie anyway. I loved the movie. I had no expectations. I enjoyed that they did not spoon feed you what was going on. I like hearing everyone's take on it.
Just watched this for the second time since first release, and it scared me 10 times more for some reason
I thought it was brilliant, saw this 2 days ago and haven't been able to get it out of my head since, so unsettling, it'll be interesting to see it again knowing how it all works out in the end with all the clues in the film. It was bound to polarize as most horror does, especially horror that has had great praise, it's not going to work for everyone, just like The Witch.
Haven't seen the film but, wow, 0:50 this little scene clip is really familiar and believable to me.
Just watched this and I kinda agree with this though I was absolutely floored by the movie. I did really think it was gonna be more of a psychological horror and a look at how grief affects us (like The Babadook) but then the whole spiritism thing just took off..
I went in fresh and was absolutely floored by this flick. I haven't seen pacing this good in years. It ratcheted up to an amazing crescendo that was so creepy to me.
I watched it on my own at night in the dark, for full terrifying effect! I had no problem sleeping but it was still more scary than The Babadook overall. I pretty much agree with his opinion. It's not a total waste of time, I'm glad I gave it a go.
I thought it was decent but not amazing or anything. The last 20 minutes or so were enjoyably batshit, but it took too long to get there. And I think The Witch did the whole 'watch a family fall apart horribly' thing a lot better.
On a side note, how is Alex Wolff supposed to be the child of Toni Colette and Gabriel Byrne?
The last 20 minutes just turn into Kill list!
Ha, is that so? I've not seen it
It's almost identical. I really recommend watching it. It's a very disturbing film. Also i agree about the son, all i kept think was that see must have had an affair lol!
Just another example of the plotting being all over the place. I assumed he was adopted but then that makes no sense with the ‘hereditary’ narrative. Stupid casting.
Wish I'd seen this review before going to watch it. Had seen all the "scariest movie of the year" claims and came away thoroughly underwhelmed. Didn't really deliver on any front for me. A few good moments but very much a curate's egg.
I saw this movie here in Brazil more than a year after its release. Like most people, I'm an horror movie fan, saw all the classics, lots of crappy ones too, and so on.
My point is: "Hereditary" blew my mind away. Can't remember exactly the last horror movie that led me to this kind of feeling. Maybe "The Shinning".
If someone still haven't seen it, forget expectations. They will probably ruin the experience.
Watch it like nothing is happening, and just wait...
I felt nothing from this film, but I wanted to like it after everything I heard before going in
All the classics you mentioned had endings that divided at the time, which we easily forget. The Shining was up for Razzies, not Oscars. This film is truly original, and told with great skill. It offers some of the greatest acting performances I've ever seen in a horror film. Criticizing a film for swinging for the fences, even if you questioned a few decisions, when it is this well made is disappointing. Prediction: You will reverse your position on this film and frankly, in 10 years you'll use it as a basis for criticizing another original film.
I would love an example of what it got so right and then so wrong in terms of specific scenes. I saw it and knew there was something wanting but could not put my finger on it like Mark can.
Michelle Holloway Right: direction, acting by the adults, visual ideas like the dolls houses. Wrong: the internal universe of the story did not tie together and became a joke. Things happened that didn’t tie in with the narrative reveal at the end, specifically about heads.
I didn't know anything about the movie, I just randomly watched it. It was good up to the young girl's death. The mother's acting is really good! After a while into the movie, I was waiting for it to be over, I started to think it was some kind of weird parody. Glad to find out I wasn't the only one seeing the weird comedic scenes.
you could hardly avoid the ads for this film. i hate it, when they saturate advertise.
Just watched this movie again for the umpteenth time. I still think this is one of the best horror movies (or any kind of movie) of our generation. I think the only thing I would change about it is cutting the last 60 seconds of dialogue. I would end it when Charlie/Paimon/Peter has the crown placed on his/her/its head. Nothing needed explaining after that.
This film most reminded me of the kill list and rosemary's baby for sure. I agree that the film descended into cliche but overall it definitely lingered with me because of that harrowing ending.
This is basically the exact same issue I had with the film. But I still think it’s a great piece of horror filmmaking
Hereditary is a very good horror film in quite a low point for the genre. It was refreshing and at times somewhat unsettling. Unlike Kermode I didn't go into this expecting The Exorcist and pre decided that anything that fell short of that will not suffice, however, having seen Friedkin's masterpiece at the cinema when it first came out still to this day is an experience which no other horror film has ever been able to even come close to.
I think the “Don’t Look Now” comparison I keep hearing is pretty apt. I really enjoyed Hereditary.
Rosemary's Baby as well imo. Not The Exorcist though.
JP O'Brien oh totally! There’s definite Rosemary’s Baby w/ the gaslighting theme, the sweet satanic friends & neighbors, the doubting husband (though Gabriel Byrnes character looks like a MUCH more decent person at the end compared to Guy in Rosemary’s Baby). I feel like hereditary is the Rosemary’s Baby homage Arronofsky wishes he made instead of Mother! which was marketed as a new RB but really in name only. There’s some exorcist too tho, as you said “not much” but there’s a little there particularly with Charlie. I agree that The Exorcist comparison is kinda labored . It’s waaaaaaaay more Don’t Look Now & Rosemary’s Baby.
How is it remotely on the level of Don't Look Now? It's a generic hodge podge of horror cliches IMO!
Tristan Reed it’s not so much the story or the look but the performances and themes. They’re both about families, particularly families in grief, there’s a “is this real or are these people insane” -type doubt that’s in both, both feature parents that are just barely hanging on and don’t really know how to function anymore, they both feature this very malevolent danger just in the background of both stories that barrels thru the audience at the ending, they also clearly spent ALOT of time on their production design and feature very stark visuals, and of course there’s the “abandon all hope” endings. But that’s just me. A friend mentioned Don’t Look Now when we saw Hereditary and the more I thought about it the more I agreed. It’s really more thematic similarities tbh.
Sorry, Don't Look Now engages the audience in real emotion - and also happens to be just about my favourite horror movie - well Carrie too I suppose - but Hereditary doesn't really do that, and I was very disappointed because I really wanted to like it.
Watched it last night. Refreshing to see a horror film that doesn't rely on jumpscares. Some parts bothered me. Although, some parts near the end would have been more in place in The Evil Dead.
Well it’s always welcome to hear a different opinion. I’m hearing a lot of good reviews and this one I will favour because the standard of films have come down and now even a feeble attempt at excellence is considered great. It’s just sad.
Just watched it, didn't know much about it and hadn't seen any reviews. Absolutely shat myself.
I would consider myself "immersed in horror", and I really liked the film. I have to say that I'm a little puzzled by Mark's review here; I usually really like his takes, even if I don't 100% agree with them myself, but I have no idea where he's coming from on this one to be honest.
as a horror fan i find it great honestly. i don't see the 'generic' plot Mark is referring to. yes there are some cliches in the framework, but their execution is rather unique and nuanced, as compared to you typical similar films. i have a feeling it's one of those films where the naysayers will retract some of their negative remarks as time goes on.
I agree that this is not a scary movie but there are disturbing and unsettling scenes. I referenced over 10 movies whilst watching it and although Mark Kermode makes reference to Dennis Wheatley I feel it bears strong similarities to Kill List directed by Ben Wheatley
Its very rare I disagree with Mark but, on this occasion, I think he's judging this one too harshly. I went into this film cold (unaware of comparisons and with no expectations) and found myself completely immersed in the unpredictability of it all. The final act perhaps can be accused of being familiar, but I still enjoyed it. There were at least 5 genuine scares for me and for a modern horror, that's almost unheard of in my horror experiences. Toni Collette is incredible, by the way.
I enjoyed it but I was disappointed by it. For me it was a pastiche of other horror movie plots; The Witch, It Follows, Rosemarys Baby and Paranormal Activity. It was shot beautifully and has an amazing score, Toni Colette is absolutely superb in the film and the aforementioned event in Act 1 completely took me off guard and I expected that to carry on, but unfortunately it didn’t.
Saw Hereditary yesterday and it blew me away. I'm not a massive horror junkie so perhaps it seemed more original to me than it would do to someone who is very familiar with horror tropes etc. But I enjoyed every second, even the comparatively goofy ending. I really enjoyed the Babadook but feel that Hereditary is a much better film
Only just watched it ( yep late to the table) I agree with Mark it was a bit " meh" very disapointed. There have been many films over the years thst have explored this theme ( cults/ covens/ invoking demons etc) and lower budget, that are much better imo
A masterpiece. Nothing else to be mentioned.
I want to have the option to replace all swearing in movies with bird noises. Crows and Ravens is a great option.
I agree about the tone shift after the first act. It got outright goofy. Still nifty ideas and good misdirection. Just a bit OTT execution.
I’m a big horror fan and loved hereditary such a psychologically terrifying film
just finished it. Everything up until the daughter moment was getting me, than it just ran out of steam for me.