In Midsommar, we follow struggling couple Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor). Both clearly aren't the right fit for the other as Christian is quite passive, inattentive and spends most of his time either getting high or with friends/fellow anthropology students Josh (William Jackson Harper), Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), and Mark (The always delightful Will Poulter) and Dani continually saddles Christian with all her emotional baggage. Neither character is innocent and each is playing a role in driving a wedge into the relationship. Before they can call it quits, Dani suffers an unimaginable and horrific family tragedy that sends her diving back into the arms of Christian. Several months later, Dani is still suffering from the emotional fallout of the tragedy and Christian is preparing to head off to a small Swedish commune with his friends for a midsommar festival (that only occurs once every 90 years during a time when the sun rarely sets. Yes, this is a horror film set mostly in daylight) that they plan on studying for their anthropology class. Dani tags along after being invited (mostly out of guilt) by Jack and friends. It doesn't take long after they arrive that psychedelic drugs are consumed and the festival turns into a nightmarish but oddly serene and peaceful trip as the commune starts to exhibit odd, suspicious behavior that might point to an ulterior motive....or it could just be the drugs.
Midsommar is one of those films that works best if you walk in knowing next-to-nothing about it (Even though the trailer doesn't really ruin anything, I would still say it's best not to watch it). So, with that said, I'm going to try my best to avoid any spoilers.
Midsommar is shot by Pavel Pogorzelski (who also did the cinematography for Hereditary), and in his hands the film is a gorgeous, sunshiny, flowery portrait. Despite all the horrific goings-ons at the festival, the commune still seems like a nice place to stay for a while. The commune's members are all very friendly and accommodating (but not in a creepy way), and the little village is beautiful. The film is indeed a slow burn, but this never bothered me as it lulled me into a relaxed, almost trance-like state. Sure, I checked my watch a few times, but the only anxiety I got was anticipating what exactly was going to happen and when. There is a definite plot and sense of forward momentum even as the film stops to smell the psychotropic flowers a good deal of the time. It's also nice that Aster (who also penned the screenplay, as he did with Hereditary) spends a good deal of time fleshing out this commune's various beliefs and traditions while still keeping enough left in the shadows. Indeed, this commune feels like a real place by the time the film ends.
Those walking into Midsommar expecting a "scary" movie might be disappointed. The film is definitely horrific (The film delivers a devastating gut-punch within the first 20 minutes that stuck with me for the remainder of the run time), but maybe not in the way you would expect. This is a film about the horrors of a bad relationship and the immense toll grief can have on a person (In other words, this is human horror at it's finest) . Our group of friends and main leads aren't the most likable people as each is, to different degrees, a jerk. Dani (Florence Pugh) is easily the closest we get to a likable character, and even then she is far from innocent. On the other side of the rainbow is Christian (Jack Reynor), who at first appears like a reluctant boyfriend who is resignedly trying to do good, but as the film progresses and we learn more about his character we realize that he may not be such a nice guy after all (and the group starts to feel strained as everyone begins to grow further and further away from each other due to internal and external forces).
Ari Aster has made a film that is quite different from Hereditary, but still surprisingly similar in subtle ways. Both films are about the disintegration of relationships: In Hereditary, the relationships are familial and in Midsommar they're romantic relationships and friendships. Aster continues to throw lots of significant details and foreshadowing into the background and details of a scene (so keep your eyes peeled and pay close attention). Aster also falls back on a specific trope that didn't sit well with me in Hereditary and still rubs me the wrong way here (It's usually used near the end of his films).
The actors all do great jobs but the stand-outs are Florence Pugh as Dani, Jack Reynor as Christian, and Will Poulter as Mark. Aster asks a lot of Pugh here as Dani continually suffers from severe panic attacks and bouts of hysterical depression. Handled the wrong way, her character could have become very annoying very quickly, but Pugh manages to make Dani sympathetic and likable. Not to mention, she sells every single one of her freak-out scenes. Reynor, despite playing a character with some serious flaws, still manages to be likable (to a degree) and his reactions during the festivities (and especially the final scenes) are entertaining. It's fun to learn more about the truth of his character as the film progresses. Will Poulter as Mark is (as previously stated) delightful as the comic relief. He gets the lion's share of the jokes and funny moments, and provides some tension-relieving laughs throughout the film.
Midsommar definitely has a lot to say, so much so that it practically demands repeat viewings. It's the first film I can remember seeing this year that I walked out excited to see it a second time (I would say in theaters, but since I'm not sure how much longer it's going to be playing, probably more-so on Blu-Ray). Aster clearly has gotten better at endings, as the big finale here is equal parts horrific, visually stunning, and cathartic. I easily prefer Midsommar to Hereditary. This is definitely going to be a divisive film. It won't be for everyone, but personally, I loved the hell out of it. Midsommar just might be the best horror film of 2019 (though we still have It Chapter Two, Doctor Sleep, and Three From Hell coming up, so who knows?). This is the real deal folks, see it when you can!
4.5 STARS
NOTE: Midsommar also has one of the most realistic depictions of the effects of 'Shrooms I've seen....not that I would know, or anything.
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