• Release year: 2024
• Director: Alejandro Brugués.
• Producers: Paul Schiff.
• Screenplay by: Chris LaMont and Joe Russo.
• Cinematography by: Vincent De Paula.
• Music by: Mondo Boys.

Shotgun Commentary: if you enjoyed Ready or Not (2019), chances are you’ll enjoy this film too.

Review

The Inheritance is the perfect movie-night film for lovers of mystery and horror. You’ve got a mansion, a mega-rich family with grudges amongst themselves, and a mysterious killing force that is wiping off them one by one. What else could one possibly hope for?

360º of a good time

If one were to describe the mood of the movie, the best way to do so would be to say that it is like Succession (2018-2023), but with a touch of Ready or Not and a delightful supernatural factor. It is clearly not as curated as any of the aforementioned products, but it does the trick. However, it still presents all the typical issues of a horror movie of this kind, which makes it kind of… a great time, actually.

The characters are incapable of staying in the same room even though that is literally the only thing they need to do to survive, their super secret family knock is the most used and known knock in the history of knocking, some characters are deaf when it suits the script, and the ending is as predictable as most of the deaths. To top it all up, the final girl is given a few dramatic close-ups where she’s supposed to say some badass remark. Instead, you’ll get the most simple, predictable and overused comebacks you can think of. Not gonna lie, it is a riot.

Balance is key

These illogical actions make the feature incredibly enjoyable and fun, which pairs nicely with the scary scenes. The monster of the movie is known, much like the ending, due to the initial credits. Still, its appearances are incredibly unnerving, even if its actual form is kind of underwhelming.

As for the visual effects that follow its comings and goings, the makeup work is great, quite similar to the one used in The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) or The Haunting of Hill House (2018). The only effects that are more comical than horrifying are those used for the paintings. They are so unrealistic that you can’t help but laugh, which eases up the tension of the moments when they take place.

Entitled Corp

The whole family is a cliché and their behaviour predictable and slightly extra. Nevertheless, the acting is quite good. Despite some moments of overacting, the twins are quite interesting characters, and both Rachel Nichols and David Walton portray them gracefully. As for the other two siblings, the youngest, Cami (Peyton List), is so sweet and nice that her fate is actually upsetting. Sadly, the other sibling, Drew (Austin Stowell), he is so plain and irrelevant to the story that his presence in the film is very easily forgotten.

Charles (Bob Gunton) as the cold and distant father of the four siblings, along with Hannah (Brianna Middleton) as the final girl, are the best performances of the feature. Gunton has a long list of unlikeable characters and villains in his résumé, so his performance is not surprising, but it is efficient. Middleton, is the complete opposite. She doesn’t have a very long career, which makes her refreshing and exciting to watch. Despite her sometimes ridiculous lines, she delivers with conviction and talent, making you look forward to seeing her soon in new projects.

All in all, The Inheritance is a fun watch for fans of the genre, with very formulaic storylines and characters that bring familiarity and amusement. Additionally, the simplicity with which the horror sequences are delivered fits perfectly with the casualness of the rest of the story, combining terrifying and cosy seamlessly.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If your shady family-in-law is inviting you cordially to get out of their very sketchy situation, GET OUT.
• Why use a shotgun when you can just throw furniture on top of people?
• Translucency can be terrifying like you won’t believe.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Inheritance? What is your favourite mansion movie? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀