Hereditary jump scares - the audience vs the critics.
January 15, 2020
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Hereditary, the first full length feature film from Ari Aster, is a horror movie that strives to do more than surprise you with cheap jump scares. The slow, atmospheric nature of the film has helped it achieve much critical acclaim, however many audiences were left unimpressed by what they saw.
Since the movie was released in 2018, it has been at the center of many debates around what actually makes a horror movie scary. There are many groups of people who are of the opinion that Hereditary is not a scary movie - just take a look at some of the audience scores over on Rotten Tomatoes.
When I saw the movie, I was absolutely gripped by it and found it very scary. It wasn't that the film startled me in a way that a film like The Nun might, it was more that I found the imagery and story very unsettling, and that stuck with me long after the film ended.
Despite not having any cheap jump scares, the film does contain a few moments which could incite a jump from certain viewers. Here are the moments to watch out for (warning - major spoilers!):
- Charlie sticking her head out of the window
- Peter looking at this reflection
- Annie climbing the walls
So there you go - although Hereditary isn't full of jump scares, there are a few moments to watch out for!
