The Inheritance brings an obscenely rich family together for their father’s 75th birthday. It has been years since they have all been together, so there is some tension. They soon learn they are there to do more than just celebrate. Their father reveals someone is going to kill him that night and in order to keep their inheritance they must prevent it from happening.
The set up, immense house, and imposing father tell the audience what is going to happen next. There will be infighting and suspicion until the big reveal that one of the children has planned it all to get all the money for themselves. This is when The Inheritance springs its first surprise.
The Inheritance is not a mystery. It is a horror movie.
The relatively small cast will be the first clue this is more than a standard mystery in a big mansion. There is not the large number of suspects each with motives, though the story starts with the audience trying to figure out who is guilty. As things progress, it is more about what is going to happen next, however.
This is a nice change of pace. Things become increasingly tense as the film leans more into the horror aspects. This change is also seen in the characters. Initially, The Inheritance explores the lives of each sibling. It is quick and to the point – one is a social media influencer, another has tried to distance themselves from the family’s business – but it is enough to get a feel for them. When the movie switches gears, you worry about what is going to happen.
The Inheritance manages to be a straightforward horror movie that provides enough twists to keep anyone watching on their toes. It is a haunted house movie that carries on in the tradition of the popular sub-genre without ever seeming derivative.
The Inheritance is in select theaters and on demand July 12
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