Midsommar is directed and written by Ari Aster, and stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, and Will Poulter. After tragedy strikes in her already depressed life, Dani is taken to Sweden with her boyfriend, Christian, who wants to break up, along with his friends pestering him to. Pelle, who invited them, brings them to his village, to celebrate the 90 Year Midsommar, where Dani discovers this village has a bright welcoming, but dark secrets that go beyond normal.
After last year’s Hereditary, which I dubbed a contender for the scariest film I’ve ever seen, Ari Aster became a filmmaker I was excited to see what would bring, especially in the horror genre. He’s been among the few directors (Jordan Peele, Jennifer Kent, Mike Flannigan) to recapture this hauntingly atmospheric horror style, that matches up with classics of the 60’s and 70’s. A24 typically has that one horror film that people are strongly divisive on, but this luckily had my praise with how grounded and realistic the circumstance was; and Toni Collette gave easily the best performance of the year, that even Aster called “bullshit” on her being snubbed.
When I saw the teaser poster for his new film, Midsommar, I became hauntingly intrigued, so much that I had to read an early draft of the script to mentally prepare myself (let’s say I figured out what the bear was for). Not to mention, but after taking a semester in Ingmar Bergman’s filmography, I learned that Sweden has a lot of rich material in their history and folklore that’s ripe for the horror genre. Aster has described the film as an adult Wizard of Oz, with other critics, such as the guys at Double Toasted, saying it also feels like The Wicker Man and Get Out; after coming out of the film, those elements combined surprisingly worked, and what I got was debatably my favorite horror film of the year (still have the rest of the year). You also want to know the best part? No jumpscares!
Throughout the film, you see a lot of pagan drawings on the walls and tarps in the village, and that’s even how the film opens; what’s clever is that it foreshadows the events that transpire, so that you’re subtly prepared for what transpires, despite it still having a horrific presence when you see it. The choice of camera angles and cuts are also quite strategic, such as conversations being shot-reverse shot, to having the angle go upside down to transition to another location and time, or the camera just holding on a group for a while at a distance; there’s also noticeable heat waves throughout that also play with both the audience and character’s perspective, keeping us guessing if all we’re seeing is happening or if they’re still on a long bad trip.
I also loved the idea of having nearly the entire film take place in sunlight, creating this new level of discomfort by allowing this to come off as natural; once again, paying tribute to 60’s and 70’s horror, such as Jaws and The Wicker Man. The original score by Bobby Krlic aka The Haxan Cloak, is deeply excellent, captures a perfectly haunting atmosphere; and the music also plays a great part in the film, half of it being diegetic by some of the villagers during the welcome ceremony and the multiple activities taking place.
That’s where I believe the village has its scariest feature, is when everyone shares in a victim’s misery; every time an execution is taking place or when someone is having a severe breakdown, others join in wailing with them, as if they’re souls are linked to one another. This becomes especially prominent during a scene in which Mark (Will Poulter) disturbs a sacred ritual, and is then stared down by that person through the rest of the film. But the most unsettling was in the third act, when this claustrophobic yet relieving mood comes from the maidens joining in Dani’s venting.
Florence Pugh is absolutely fantastic, delivering a performance on par with Toni Collette’s Annie; both have an obviously dying relationship with someone who’s fed up, yet are obligated to stay due to heavy loss of family and no one else to turn to. They’re at their most vulnerable when they share their need for empathy, not sympathy, something that Dani has the opposite with being with Christain; and Jack Reynor is great, selling the despicable boyfriend who obviously wants nothing to do with her anymore.
Midsommar is one of the most unique horror films this decade, and thankfully does everything right that I want in a horror film; no jumpscares, empathetic characters, a foreboding setting, and unique way to pay tribute to classic horror, while also bringing its own. Unlike most horror films that rely on sending a quick chill down my spine, this film brings out the atmospheric horror that we’ve been missing for a long time now. If you were disappointed with Hereditary, this might change your mind on the director.
Rating: A+
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