Hereditary (dir. Ari Aster)

"Hereditary" is the first film since Hideo Nakata's horror masterpiece "The Ring" to have left me with a paralysing sense of fear. Not only is first-time director Ari Aster's familial ghost chiller the most terrifying film of recent memory, but it manages to subvert the seemingly never-ending barrage of supernatural offerings that are only interested in cheap jump-scares, instead opting for a slow-burner that builds to a crushing denouement that reminded me eerily of the unrelenting dread of horror classics such as "The Exorcist" or "Pulse".

Word-of-mouth will likely be the greatest asset to this A24 production in relation to it's marketing campaign. After premiering at the midnight selection at this past years Sundance Film Festival to a raucous celebratory unison, critics are lauding this ghostly thriller as the most original horror film since fellow studio fare "It Comes At Night" and Robert Eggers fantastic "The Witch". For too long, horror audiences have been used to gothic offerings that are light on plot exposition and heavy on derivative movie tropes. In the case of "Hereditary" - which takes place and was shot in Park City, Utah - with the explosive finale being an exception, this exemplary horror film is more of a character drama which examines the typical American dysfunctional family cursed but their own grief.

Beginning with a bravura opening sequence, which sees the camera panning along a modern-looking middle class American home, we soon zoom-in on a meticulously designed dollhouse, before it inexplicably transfers to a live action scene with real-life actors. The use of the dollhouse motif will recur throughout Aster's spectacularly anxious drama, especially since the family matriarch Annie (a career-best from Toni Collette) designs them for a living. She's recently been bereaved of her mother, with whom she has a fractious relationship and was recently estranged. Her ability to deal with her grief soon becomes an ever-increasing problem in her household, which she shares with her ever-loving husband, Steve (Gabriel Byrne), pot-smoking teenage son Peter (Alex Wolff) and her bewildered twelve-year old daughter Charlie (Molly Shapiro). Annie's recent strange behavior is soon exacerbated however by a similar tragedy, and after meeting a fellow grief-stricken mother at a congregation for grieving parents Joan (Anne Dowd), is coerced into taking part in a seance as a way of connecting with her deceased love-ones. It's not long before her actions star to have consequences for her, and even more tragically, for the rest of her family.

If this doesn't familiar to the usual horror film canon, that's on purpose. Through deftly used methods of melancholy and familial angst, direction Ari Aster implements a straightforward examination of a dysfunctional family system which is at odds with it's grief, and astutely transcends this into something even more unnerving. It's a remarkable feat from a director who has only been making shorts for the past 6 years, though his patience is clear even in his filmmaking acumen. Not only are the creepy moments in "Hereditary" disconcerting (one of which made me actively cry out loud), yet when we return to the interpersonal squabbling between the characters they soon build to a crushing crescendo. A perfect example of this being a sit-down meal between the family, which soon turns into a slanging match of pointed fingers and hurling insults, or even the moment when our lead heroine Annie first learns of the death of a loved one, and begins to wail with uncontrollable anger. Aster's drama enjoys piling on the uncomfortable dread, and neatly weaves the character drama and horrific moments in a fashion unheard of by a first-time director.

Backing up the frequency dread are the impressively assembled cast. My first memory of star Alex Wolff was his terrific turn in "Paper Towns", before I came to my senses and realized that was his brother Nat. This particular member of the Wolff clan is best known for his dastardly turn as the teenage terrorist in "Patriots Day" - amongst other memorable turns - and is in fine form here as the perennial teenage boy dealing with a difficult home-life. Equally so is Gabriel Byrne as Steve, who has quite rightly been ordered to down-play his turn as the patriarch to counter-balance the sheer craziness of his spouse. Broadway star Molly Shapiro gives a memorable creepy performance also as the troubled child Charlie, with her role as the chocolate-loving twelve year old who has a bizarre relationship with the supernatural a clear indication of equally impressive performances to come. But the real outstanding turn comes from Australian star Toni Collette, who gives an unrelenting, tour-de-force performance as the uptight mother who is as terrified by parenting as she is coming to the realization that her life has been cursed. Expect awards recognition to come next year for her unbelievable turn here.

Bringing home the cinematic negativity on-screen is Colin Stetson's pounding score, which upholds the disparate family fighting with the eventual screeching horror with a lyrical flair that keeps the audience apprehension at a near deafening cacophony. By the time the final twenty minutes arrive, you have been so indoctrinated into Aster's false sense of security, you don't know what's going to happen next. For me, along with the rest of the audience during my screening, I found myself in an almost catatonic stupor come the end of "Hereditary" and felt only the strongest concoction of the nearest alcoholic beverage would snap me back into reality. Not only is this the most original horror film in years, it's cemented it's place as the creepiest film to have glazed my eyes in a long time, and reminds you of what filmmakers such as Friedkin, Polanksi and Nakata have done with creating a horror vehicle that aims to haunt your dreams. And for me, that's always a good thing.

Rating 5/5.