Hereditary is an intense, terrifying movie. It reminded be a bit of the “Babadook” in the themes of family dysfunction and grief. “Hereditary” has a bit of a Gothic feel to it in that a major setting is a house. Is this house haunted or are the people living in it just really odd and withdrawn from each other? The house seems beautiful at first viewing but continues to grow darker and more menacing as the movie progresses, much like the characters themselves. Toni Collette is at the top of her game and it is unfortunate that she will most likely not get an Oscar nomination for this film because it is in the horror genre. Her facial expressions alone deserve honorable mention. There are a lot of important plot-points to this film that should not be divulged as we know very little going in and things slowly and carefully get revealed, the plot being moved along by different shocking and surprising turn of events. The first hour is a slow simmer, giving us a tale of loss and a family trying to hold together and then it unfolds into a terrifying and horrific tale, ending with a disturbing final image that will haunt you. 

Warning: This movie is not for everyone. It is scary and gory and it does not shy away. Not for the faint of heart. True fans of the macabre and horror will enjoy no doubt.

Grade: A