When it comes to the kind of films that tend to top Netflix’s charts in the U.S., the pendulum usually swings towards sci-fi, fantasy, and action-thrillers. This is not surprising, as these genres have multitudes to offer, from the French knock-off of “Taken,” which has become a Netflix smash hit, to the fresh love for Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic “Interstellar.”
Every once in a while, a horror title manages to grip the collective imagination or unsettle streaming audiences, like the Taiwanese thriller “Incantation,” which takes the curse-contagion metaphor to a whole new level. A quick look at Netflix’s current ranking of movies trending in the U.S. has pinned Ari Aster’s “Hereditary” at #7, as the critically acclaimed A24 horror is getting a second life on the streaming platform (via FlixPatrol). The success is well-earned; Aster’s film etches an uncompromising portrait of grief and terror while sidestepping genre trappings of cheap shock tactics or knee-jerk sentiments.
Our subconscious, collective pull toward “Hereditary” is not too hard to understand. It is an experience that cannot be summarized in mere words, with visual imagery tugging the strings of our most visceral reactions to the story. A near-indecipherable, ominous-sounding phrase scratched on a wallpaper feels as dread-inducing as the outright supernatural events that the film builds towards — but the horror of losing a loved one supersedes all else. As the Grahams navigate through events that flit between the real and the surreal, we are forced to scrutinize deeper and emerge with no clear answers. After all, what is more horrifying than vague, unknowable truths?
Let’s take a look at what makes “Hereditary” so special.