Ari Aster’s work is an acquired taste; his shorts – which you can find on YouTube – are evidence of that. The director has slowly built himself to his first film, Hereditary, and is already making his presence known in the horror genre. The movie’s unsettling nature works towards grief and generational trauma with the backdrop of supernatural elements. What Aster does with these is combine them into an elevated horror film that will leave a mark on anyone viewing it.
Hereditary, directed by Aster and written by him, follows the story of a family dealing with a serious and life-changing loss. The film stars Toni Collette (Annie), Gabriel Byrne (Steve), Alex Wolff (Peter), and Milly Shapiro (Charlie) in her feature debut. The film’s family goes through a series of events that appear connected to the supernatural but cannot understand the depths they take into this world.
The current trend in horror films is the tired trope of “jump scares.” Many directors rely upon them too much to scare the pants off audience members. For some, it works. In contrast, Aster doesn’t use this method of terror but takes the route of atmospheric surroundings and a slow burn story into fear. It’s almost hypnotic to watch and soothing. He uses this to disarm and give me a sense of security. Consequently, he takes advantage of those moments and offers something unique.
Aster does this in Hereditary by using wide shots in the house to fully immerse me into the movie. It gave me a sense that I was a fly on the wall of the primary setting of the house and how the environment can shape the characters and their arc. This technique allowed me to witness pivotal “holy s**t” moments that set chills down my spine. The feeling of threats lurking in the same room was evident in certain parts of the movie. Aster carefully used his skills as a director ahead of his time to engross me in the type mood to match the unsuspecting victim.
The movie holds this level of terror and fear with the director’s script.
The script for Hereditary is borderline perfect. It takes its time to build up to an intense third act. Aster can unfold the mystery the film has in a naturalistic way. For example, the pace is steady, and it always knows where it needs to be. Several moments in the movie gave me bits of the supernatural element that only made Hereditary more intriguing. All this amounted to a third act that hasn’t left me since.
The culmination of events leads to the third, which really leans into supernatural elements and would not let me escape. Just like the character Peter, I was trapped and f**ked. Hereditary takes this hard turn in the final act, and a lesser director would’ve dropped the ball. Alternatively, Aster makes it fit perfectly in the narrative with his precise plot points and well-crafted script. What also helps elevate the story is the astonishing performance of the cast.
Hereditary calls for the family to have an authentic and genuine dynamic between them. Byrne, Collette, Wolff, and Shapiro do it effortlessly. The household is strained when the film starts, and I get that feeling in the first act. It’s after the death of someone that the downward spiral really begins with no end in sight. The actors use each other in a way that leads me to believe the grief, anger, and sorrow they had towards each other. However, it’s Collette who stands above the rest.
The actress doesn’t overshadow the other actors but gives it all in her performance. Annie goes through the motions of grief, and Collette handles them with ease. Even her presence in the third act matches thoroughly with the course of the movie’s final scenes and only intensifies the terror. It’s an Oscar-worthy performance, yet The Academy has difficulty recognizing horror as a form of cinema art.
Ari Aster’s Hereditary is a big step up in the horror genre. The director has a pinpoint expertise level when it comes to his style of storytelling. Aster will likely have a prominent career in cinema, and we should all be fortunate. I’m not sure what else the director has in store, but I’m sure that’ll be something everyone will discuss.