I know, I know, Hereditary is one the best horror movies of all time and one of the crowning achievements of A24’s horror collection. But for a number of reasons, I’ve long held off on watching Ari Aster’s directorial debut about a family experiencing extreme grief and supernatural forces. That all changed recently when I finally decided to watch the movie while scrolling through the massive cinematic library that comes with a Netflix subscription. And I’m really glad I did, even if it was too late.
Though I had never watched the movie in the years since its 2018 release, I was all too familiar with one key scene involving a car and a young girl being decapitated. And honestly, that was one of the reasons why I held off for so long. But as I would come to find out in this painful yet incredibly moving horror movie about grief, this short death scene wasn’t even the most upsetting part…
I Put Off Watching Hereditary For Years Because Of The Decapitation Scene
Plain and simple, I put off watching Hereditary for the better part of seven years because of the decapitation scene. Friends told me about the movie when it first came out, and they kept referring to the scene where Charlie Graham (Milly Shapiro) loses her head after sticking it out the window at the worst possible moment. My morbid curiosity got the best of me, I read it on Wikipedia, saw a clip on Twitter, and thought, “Well, I’m fine never seeing this.”
Even after watching Midsommar, Aster’s brilliant and utterly unnerving follow-up feature film, I didn’t feel a need to watch Hereditary for the reason I just mentioned above. And I loved Midsommar.
Though Incredibly Unsetting, The Charlie Scene Actually Didn’t Bother Me As Much As I Thought It Would
Okay, so the whole beheading scene was incredibly unsettling (that sound design for the moment Charlie’s head hit the telephone pole was something fierce) and resulted in me mouthing “holy shit,” but it honestly didn’t bother me as much as I thought it would. I’m going to think twice about sticking my head out any car windows for the rest of my life, but the scene didn’t have the same effect as something like the arm scene in Green Room that led to me pausing the movie and then walking around to figure out if I wanted to watch the remaining 90-plus minutes.
With what I thought was the worst behind me, I pressed on… only to find out that the whole “girl gets her head knocked off while having an allergic reaction to cake” situation wasn’t the worst thing Ari Aster’s mesmerizing directorial debut had in store for me. No, this was just the beginning…
What Got Me The Most Was The Way Grief Tore Apart The Graham Family
Considering the death of a child was a major part of Hereditary, I knew going in that the movie was going to deal with grief. I just didn’t know that Aster would take it to these levels. Still not as bad as the struggle in Manchester by the Sea, this 2018 horror flick showed just how much pain, suffering, and anguish an unexpected death can bring to a family, unraveling it in the process.
Annie Graham (Toni Collette) is particularly impacted by Charlie’s tragic passing. Collette is incredible with her performance here, but the way her grief turns to animosity (especially towards her son) and later obsession with speaking to her daughter’s spirit is all kinds of upsetting. Sure, the family had some issues before – who doesn’t – but the struggles were amplified and contorted into something sinister.
Peter’s Journey Was Especially Traumatic (Those Pained Wails Were Heartbreaking And Unnerving)
Another thing I found traumatizing about Hereditary was the way in which Peter Graham (Alex Wolff) was impacted by pretty much being responsible for his sister’s death. His journey throughout the remaining 90-plus minutes of the movie was unlike anything I’ve seen before, and incredibly heartbreaking. There are a few scenes in particular where Peter cries out that filled me with so much pain, dread, and suffering. They were excruciating, if I’m being honest.
Going from a high school student thinking about his future, friends, and a girl from class to witnessing his sister’s death, being verbally and emotionally abused by his grief-stricken mother, and then later being possessed by a demon king is quite the journey. Grief is bad enough on its own, but it’s made even worse with a literal possession.
Annie’s Death At The End, With Those Sound Effects, Was Just Too Much
Charlie’s death was traumatic but brief, and Peter’s death was also short. Steven Graham’s (Gabriel Byrne) was pretty terrifying with all the fire and screaming. But let me tell you, Annie’s suicide at the end of Hereditary was legitemately one of the most unsettling things I’ve watched in a very, very long time.
After watching her saw at her neck with a piano wire for a few seconds I looked away, but the sound of the metal cutting through flesh just wouldn’t stop. Even when Peter jumps out the window, it’s just the rhythmic back and forth like a metronome of cruelty before her head finally falls off and lands on the attic floor with a thud.
Now I’m Kicking Myself For Waiting So Long To Watch Hereditary
Though it messed me up and forced me to look away from the screen a few times, this was honestly one of the best horror experiences I’ve had in a while. I can see why it’s considered one of the best A24 movies and why it gets talked about so damn much. Sure, I may be sleeping with the lights on after experiencing the Graham family’s journey of grief, witchcraft, demonic possessions, and excruciating deaths, but I’m honestly glad I watched it. In fact, I’m kicking myself for waiting so damn long.
All in all, I’m glad I watched Hereditary. Now, it’s time to exorcise those leftover demons and move on to another quintessential horror movie I’ve put off for years…