Reviewing "The Haunting Of Hill House": A modern horror masterpiece that is also a wonderful family drama.

Netflix's The Haunting Of Hill House is a 2018 drama series, the first season of the horror anthology series known as The Haunting. Created by Mike Flanagan, it stars Michael Huisman, Carla Gugino, Elizabeth Reaser, Kate Siegel, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Victoria Pedretti. It centers on the Crain family: parents Hugh (Henry Thomas) and Olivia (Gugino), and the children Steven (Huisman), Shirley (Reaser), Theo (Siegel), Luke (Jackson-Cohen), and Nell (Pedretti). The story jumps between two time periods, the present, and when the children were young. Most episodes give particular focus to a member of the family, and various little hints planted in the early episodes only become important and relevant later on.

The plot focuses on how the family deals with the horrors in their lives, both the memories of the terrifying events in their childhood in the House and how their childhood experiences and the resulting trauma drove them to various unhealthy behaviors and coping mechanisms. It explores the ghosts in families, how what one generation does can be literally and figuratively passed down to the next. The story is very character-driven, showing that horror isn't just all ghosts and terrifying creatures, but can also manifest in guilt and denial. There is a pervasive sense of dread in almost every scene, and when the scares finally start, they are mostly subdued and work very well, especially in the context of shared trauma and family issues.

The characters are remarkably well fleshed-out, with everyone being sympathetic and having an understandable reason for what they do and for how they behave and interact with others. Steven is in deep denial over the horrific events at Hill House, Shirley is dealing with some guilt over her past, Theo is a child psychologist with her demons to fight against and a mysterious gift, Luke is a junkie trying to cope with the tall ghostly figure he has been seeing for a long time, and Nell is haunted by a strange specter known as the "Bent-Neck Lady" and is dealing with tremendous trauma in her personal life. Nell's story and focus episode is particularly terrifying and prone to inducing tears for just how beautifully sad it is.

The story can be complex and is wrapped up in layers of mystery, but unwrapping those mysteries throughout the season is a joy. The intricacies are laid out masterfully, with innocuous dialogue and actions given greater context later on, such as the always-locked Red Room, Luke's unseen friend, and the strange geometries of the House itself. Everything is given just enough explanation for the viewer to understand all that has happened while still leaving room for the viewers to fill in the gaps with their own understanding or interpretations of the events. The ending itself is remarkable, bittersweet, and is the perfect culmination of the story.

All the performances are superb, especially Kate Siegel's portrayal of Theo, weary and troubled Luke played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen, level-headed Steven played by Michael Huisman, and eternally terrified Nell portrayed by Victoria Pedretti. The actors who play the child versions of the siblings are also marvelous and give their characters a sense of innocence and wonder even if as they are continually subject to the horrors of the house. Hill House is practically a character in its own right, showing itself to be a corrupting influence that gradually breaks down the characters, perhaps not even in a consciously malevolent way, but all the inhabitants are deeply affected by their experiences there nonetheless.

The cinematography is neat, with every important character and detail framed neatly and clearly in every shot, and the most noteworthy shots are the oner tracking shots used throughout episode 6, a terrific effort on the part of the cast and crew alike. The slow zoom push-ins during long monologues also serve to help audiences stay alert and immersed during the talking while giving a feeling of unease. Those eagle-eyed viewers will also notice small unsettling details in many scenes, such as ghosts appearing and disappearing in the background, and how the statues subtle change their placement or positions in between shots or even within the same shot. The score is beautifully majestic yet tinged with an undertone of sadness.

The Haunting Of Hill House is a masterful piece of television, a gripping and twisted tale of horror and family drama, wonderfully acted, and gorgeously shot. It's heartbreaking yet cathartic, and true to its name, it will haunt you, staying with you long after it ends.