A great follow up to one of my favorite films of last year “Hereditary”.
The improvements in world building from Aster’s first feature allows for repeat viewings. Once you know the lore behind some of the villages traditions. Not sure if the demons in this film have a correlation to the one in his previous film but time will tell.
I found the characters lacked like ability and just felt like devices to further along the plot. I found Will Poulter of “Breaking Bad” fame to be the most amusing of the bunch. The crew that portrayed all the villagers did a fantastic job and really made you feel like you where living on their compound.
The trippy feel the film gives off has the characters being experimenting with mushrooms and various magic teas is something very seen in other films that try to take the psychedelic approach. Often films add in unrealistic elements like wacky unicorns or talking plants. Aster’s approach gives off the sense that the plant life is a living breathing thing, in some cases even becoming one with the humans.
The set design for the film is top notch. The shots all have a flat perfect look to them, that blend well with the sets capturing a Kubrickian esthetic.
The gore elements of the film are what will bring me back for a rewatch. I enjoyed how Aster didn’t hold back, giving us one of the most shocking scenes on the year.
If your a fan of modern horror I would definitely suggest this. The run time is a little longer than it needs to be but definitely one of my favs from this years.
Grade: B