Around half a decade ago, what movie enthusiasts considered among the scariest and, at the same time, one of the most creative films ever produced recently, premiered. Sure, when you think of must-have horror movies, you’ll think of “The Exorcist,” “The Shining,” “American Psycho,” and “It,” among others. But there’s a film that has won the goose-bumping hearts of audiences, “Hereditary.” Let’s continue the PVP Live cycle of ending reviews with this film.
‘Hereditary’ Movie Overview
“Hereditary” is an American psychological horror flick written and directed by Ari Aster, who also previously worked on film projects such as “The Strange Thing About the Johnsons,” “Midsommar,” and “Beau is Afraid,” but it was “Hereditary” that catapulted him to fame.
This movie follows the story of a grieving family tormented by sinister and chilly occurrences after the passing away of the family’s matriarch, their grandmother. See the film to find out more.
It stars talented artists such as Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Ann Dowd, Mallory Bechtel, and more.
What Happened In The Ending Of ‘Hereditary’?
If there’s one word to describe the ending of “Hereditary,” it is that it is twisted. It starts with Joan confronting Peter outside his school as she tries to expel his spirit from the demon king’s body. Soon after, it becomes clear that he has been possessed.
Meanwhile, as those happen, Annie once again wants to burn Charlie’s sketchbook, yet she cannot be able to do it. So, she tries to convince her hubby, Steve, to throw the book into the fireplace, yet he refuses, so she chooses to sling it in nonetheless, but Steve immediately goes aflame and perishes.
Then, Peter eventually finds out his dad’s corpse and the family’s home have been overtaken by naked coven members, with a possessed Annie chasing him.
He reaches the attic and watches as his mom beheads herself before jumping out of the window. Waking up, he makes his way to the treehouse of Charlie, where the coven members dance around along with the headless corpses of his mom and grandmom.
Peter is then crowned and called King, with him being the demon’s male body. The naked coven hails him as their ruler just because he is a man.
Explaining The Ending
Clearly, the ending may be horrific, but it is artistically done. It reveals the triumph of the cult’s manipulation to summon the demon Paimon, who is looking for a male host. Simultaneously, Annie’s family is doomed by her mom’s involvement in that cult.
As discussed above, these tragedies, including Charlie’s beheading and Annie’s perishing to madness, are orchestrated to prepare Peter as the vessel of the demon. The last scene, where you see Peter’s coronation, symbolizes the full circle of the ritual. It shows the family’s suffering in the weirdest ways after the matriarch’s death and is twisted because it subverts expectations. “Hereditary” is available to stream on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV.
