Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Hereditary.

Director Ari Aster’s 2018 film Hereditary remains one of the most divisive horror movies in modern history. Though not all audiences liked the movie when it premiered, it’s no surprise that Netflix recently released Hereditary for streaming. Produced by acclaimed studio A24, Hereditary was hyped as an instant modern horror classic before its premiere, drawing in plenty of viewers who wanted to experience this frightening phenomenon for themselves.

Though A24’s Hereditary delivered plenty of scary scenes and an engaging story, the film had a shocking reception in theaters after it split general audiences down the middle. Hereditary has its fair share of fans and haters, but it ended up being one of the most popular, profitable, and disputable films ever produced by A24. All in all, this film’s reputation is expected to make Hereditary a top viewing choice on Netflix.

Hereditary Is Now Streaming On Netflix – What The Horror Movie Is About

Hereditary Is An Intense, Frightening Tale Of Familial Grief And Demonic Possession

Hereditary centers around the Graham Family made up of mother Annie, father Steve, son Peter, and daughter Charlie, and begins with them attending the funeral of Annie’s mother, Ellen Leigh. Following the funeral, Annie attends a support group in which she confesses her difficult childhood and the tense relationship she had with Ellen. Meanwhile, Annie’s son Peter attends a high school party and is forced to bring his younger sister Charlie along. However, after the latter has an allergic reaction from eating cake with walnuts at the party, Peter tries racing her to the hospital, only for Charlie to get decapitated by a telephone pole in a horrific accident.

The Graham family is fractured by the death of their youngest child, and a grief-stricken Annie is taught how to perform a seance to communicate with Charlie’s spirit. Though Annie succeeds in doing so, Hereditary reveals she accidentally summoned the Demon King Paimon, who is trying to possess her and Peter. Not only that, but Ellen was also part of a secret, Satanic cult manipulating the Grahams into invoking and providing a host for Paimon.

Why Hereditary Is So Divisive (Despite Its 90% Score On Rotten Tomatoes)

As An Art Film, Hereditary Gained More Prestige From Critics Than Audiences

Before its theatrical release, Hereditary received rave reviews from critics, with A.A. Dowd of AV Club drawing comparisons between it and hit horror classics like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby. The film received a remarkable 90% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and made $87.8 million against its $10 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. However, despite these reviews and high box office numbers, audiences gave Hereditary a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a D+ on CinemaScore.

Since A24 is an independent movie company, it’s actually no surprise that one of its films didn’t appeal quite a strongly to more mainstream audiences. It’s even more understandable with Hereditary, as it’s a 127-minute slow-burning psychological horror film. The movie relies more on building tension and suspense over time rather than using multiple jump scares like in typical Hollywood horror films. It’s also an incredibly dark and intense story of how unresolved grief and dysfunction destroy a family, making it a deeply unsettling cinema experience.

In the end, Hereditary is more of an art film than a horror blockbuster, so it certainly wasn’t going to appeal to all audiences in theaters. Despite its mixed reception, the film succeeded in presenting a unique and haunting story about grief, trauma, and free will that features some of the most unforgettably frightening scenes in modern cinema. Hereditary isn’t for the faint of heart, but that should make it all the more appealing to fans of the horror genre now that it’s on Netflix.

Source: AV Club, Box Office Mojo, CinemaScore, Rotten Tomatoes