Hereditary (2018)

The review highlights a painful sense of impending dread in every frame of this searing debut, calling it serious, glorious, edge-of-your-seat horror that refuses easy definition. Toni Collette's performance as the frantic mother is singled out alongside the film's exploration of familial madness and inherited trauma.

This terrific tale of terror features a miasma of menace engulfing a family through a fearful legacy, with a first-rate cast led by a marvellous Toni Collette. The slow-burn horror builds a dread-inducing atmosphere akin to 'The Shining', refusing to loosen its grip.

Hereditary is an instant horror classic and quite possibly the scariest film of the decade, delivering creeping dread that erupts into full-blown terror in the final act. It features sensational performances, especially from Toni Collette, and extraordinary direction that avoids feeling derivative despite clear influences.

The critic hails it as a new generation's 'The Exorcist', a harrowing supernatural family tragedy that brews impressive dread through exquisite camera work and patience. Toni Collette's fearless performance is singled out as central to the film's unraveling identity and impact.

Aster's debut is a raw horror masterpiece with crawling dread, shocking moments, and gorgeous Kubrickian precision that makes it feel minty-fresh despite influences. Toni Collette delivers a standout performance through gruelling emotional and horrific trials in a film that disturbs even jaded viewers.

The film is a new horror classic with a devastating portrait of family decline, spun with breathtaking deliberation. Toni Collette delivers a shattering performance that escalates from anxiety to frenzied terror.

The critic praises the supremely elegant and tonally assured horror debut for its emotional sophistication, impeccable dread, and lingering melancholy, with Toni Collette's gutsy performance keeping proceedings fresh. It is noted for trusting the audience with measured storytelling and sustained clammy mood.

A tour-de-force from Toni Collette powers one of the most affecting horrors in recent memory, genuinely unsettling in a way few genre efforts are. Ari Aster's assured debut sticks the landing with mystery, suspense, and complex performances that make the film one to endure rather than enjoy.

The film is unforgettably horrifying rather than terrifying, using gruesome events and family trauma to explore fate versus free will and heredity versus environment. Toni Collette's intense performance and Ari Aster's assured direction stand out amid the bleak, original take on horror conventions.

The critic describes the film as brilliantly horrible and emotionally invasive, singling out Toni Collette's raw, flayed performance as its greatest strength amid some draggy sections.

The critic finds the film effective in its early psychological horror and Collette's performance but criticizes the later supernatural elements as derivative and the conclusion as silly and shallow.

The critic finds Ari Aster's debut a diabolically assured and artful horror that merges naturalism with allegory to create a hallucinatory family portrait. It is praised for its assured direction, focus on bewildered characters, and effective mix of subgenres including psychological thriller and ghost story elements.

The critic finds the film a riveting and terrifying horror debut that keeps tension high throughout. They single out Toni Collette’s hypnotic, operatic performance as the standout element that makes the scares work.

The critic calls it an effective domestic horror chiller that escalates terror relentlessly, praising Aster's modern take on classic horror and Toni Collette's astonishing performance.

The critic calls Hereditary a horror masterpiece that is crushingly oppressive, deeply shocking and soaked in grief. They single out the stunning cinematography, tremendous cast performances (especially Toni Collette) and the pervasive sense of dread and family trauma.

The critic calls it one of the most menacing horror debuts in cinema history, praising Toni Collette's raw, heartbreaking performance and the masterful sound design that builds unbearable tension. They note a minor flaw in the finale's overly concrete explanations.

The critic calls it an early contender for the best horror film of 2018. They single out the deliberate pacing, commitment to atmosphere over cheap scares, and stellar cast led by Toni Collette.

The critic praises the film as a jaw-droppingly impressive feature debut that creates a moody piece with a delicate but devastating sense of dread and extraordinary performances, especially Toni Collette's heartbreaking portrayal of a troubled mother. They remain somewhat torn about the ending but heartily endorse the film and its technical achievements.