There is "hype," and then there are expressions of genuine appreciation. I don't think it's fair to mix them. "Hype" belittles what people really feel.
As for not understanding, just read a few positive posts or critic's comments to learn why people appreciated the film. That's not, by the way, an argument to say the film is great, etc. It's pointing out that it's not hard to understand other people's positive responses. You don't have to agree with them, of course; but with a little empathy it's possible to put yourself in their shoes, one would hope.
Speaking personally, the movie spoke to me on a deep level. I think it tells the truth about repressed grief, because I've seen it turn people into monsters. Family monsters. I also think it tells the truth about the psyche, which always wants to project itself into the world, to create the world in its image. If the mind is sick, like a sick God that is the reality it will create. I also appreciate that the filmmaker chose to transgress the mother/child bond, a major taboo, perfect for a psych-horror story that doesn't rely on jump scares and gore.
"You must not judge what I know by what I find words for." - Marilynne Robinson
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