Written and directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun, co-written by Thamsatid Charoenrittichai and Ter Chantavit Dhanasevi, a wealthy family’s polished exterior begins to crack when Grandma Woranart arrives claiming to be 80, while looking like a much, much younger woman. Starring: Davika Hoorne, Thitiya Jirapornsilp, Sinjai Plengpanich, Warattaya Nilkuha, Trin Settachoke, Pongsatorn Jongwilas, Pakin Kuna-anuwit and Chayanon Phakthin.
Davika Hoorne as Grandma Woranart is one of the best cinema villains that you’ll see all year. She crafts this ultimate femme fatale character so well, that you’ll more than likely end up on her side. Hoorne is seductive, manipulative, vengeful, and the writing provides Woranart with some moral and ethical values that audiences will really get a kick out of, particularly as her methods are delightfully violent, torturous and creative. She completely steals the spotlight in Inherit, everyone and everything else serves her story, she’s so devilishly enthralling.
The style then strongly backs up those choices, heavily leaning into the suspicion and manipulation. Banjong Pisanthanakun’s directorial style perfectly matches the way that Woranart plays with people, it moves with that satisfyingly dark and deadly edge. The cinematography from Naruphol Chokanapitak is superb, it holds such a suave presence and a terrific richness to its colour. The filmmakers don’t attempt to be gritty or messy, it’s very composed and calculated which works really well.
It’s ticking all the right boxes, it’s entertaining, satisfying viewing, the visual and sound work is strong, all the other performances from the ensemble, particularly Sinjai Plengpanich and Thitiya Jirapornsilp as mother and daughter are great, but it has one key problem: the ending. It’s a fantastic piece of film, until it reaches that final act and everything goes out of the window. It makes overtly easy, somewhat illogical choices to suit its ends, and those choices also make the rest of the story feel like it ultimately achieved very little. There’s also a couple of genuinely problematic choices in the ending, which are almost impossible to describe without spoilers. There’s a lack of awareness, as well as a certain character who well and truly deserved a much grislier end than they receive, which is very disappointing.
Inherit is an absolute showcase for the sadistic, seductive, sinister talents of Davika Hoorne, her performance as Woranart makes the film worth watching entirely on its own. She’s backed by some strong direction from Banjong Pisanthanakun which feels decidedly made for horror fans. As well as excellent cinematography from Naruphol Chokanapitak which so beautifully makes use of those luscious green tones. It’s such a crying shame that the writing then makes too many poor decisions in its ending and ruins the experience. It does so many things right, to then simply fall apart in its final moments does it a real disservice.
