Does Hereditary live up to its hype? Psychology, horror & definition.
Hereditary does not pander to anything and it does not operate on a jump scare a minute like most of today’s horror. It is intelligent and intelligently paced. It does not use narrative devices or clichés to in essence talk down to its audience. Hereditary values your opinion and expectations. Then it seeks to subvert them.
WARNING: I have tried my best to completely avoid spoilers in this look at Hereditary. It would be impossible, however, to effect this look at Hereditary and horror as a genre without including a few very small spoilers from the film. If that bothers you, please do not read on.
Great horror doesn’t just make you jump. Great horror doesn’t just cause a visceral reaction from blood splatter or ratcheted-up degrees of sadism. Great horror does not operate on a jump scare a minute.
Great horror gets the audience in the place of insanity. Great horror makes you doubt your senses along with the characters on screen. Great horror makes you question — genuinely question — what is real to the narrative and what is not in a film. Great horror in that way is very much a meta study, it is us viewing how the characters view their narrative in the film.
Great horror most importantly causes revulsion, terror, and fear and trembling in the very…
