Director Ari Aster earned horror fans’ attention last year with his feature directorial debut Hereditary. The film was praised for its spectacular performances, slow burn tension and phenomenal cinematography. Thanks to such a strong showing, much anticipation had built around Aster’s latest release, Midsommar.
Midsommar tells the story of a young couple who travels to Sweden to visit a rural commune’s midsummer festival. The festival gradually descends into bizarre and violent rituals that put the newcomers’ lives and sanity in jeopardy.
Right off the bat, Midsommar is instantly recognizable for its incredibly bright aesthetic. Unlike most horror movies, the film takes place almost entirely during the day, utilizing a bright, summertime color pallet and a warm sunny glow during many scenes. This choice gives the film a stunning look and is juxtaposed effectively against the film’s more horrifying visuals.
As a horror film, Midsommar manages to provide plenty of scares, relying on a great mix of psychological horror and violent scenes to keep the audience on its toes. The film mimics many older folk-horror films such as Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man which, while nostalgic, made Midsommar predictable at times. Despite this, the film has some great jaw-dropping scenes that catch the audience off guard.
The film’s horror is enhanced by its great pacing. Midsommar initially crawls at a slow pace, gradually building tension and wonderfully twisting the seemingly idyllic setting into a more sinister scenario. No moment in the film feels unnecessary, and the film’s scenes work to develop the protagonists as well as the mysterious cult who hosts the festival.
In addition to focusing on the festival’s descent into madness, Aster simultaneously explores the crumbling relationship of the protagonists Dani and Christian—portrayed by Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, respectively. Aster has called the film a “break-up movie,” as opposed to simply a horror film and he does a great job making the characters’ relationship convincing and interesting, thanks in part to great dialogue and performances.
Without getting into spoilers, the film delves into more serious topics concerning the relationship between the protagonists. These issues are handled with a great level of care and respect and make the film significantly more impactful. This also makes the characters more relatable and grounded before things take a significant turn for the worse.
The film’s main problem is its third act. While the first two-thirds of the film establish a slower, more cerebral pace and tone, the third act explodes into some of the movie’s most bizarre sequences. While the scares are effective, this may come off as far too abrupt for some audience members. This act also uses some of the most recognizable allusions to other cult films, essentially becoming derivative of a lot of what audiences have seen before.
The third act isn’t necessarily incompetently done, it just differs significantly from the film’s earlier sequences. Fans of crazy, off-the-wall endings are going to love how Midsommar wraps up, but audience members who enjoyed the Aster’s first film may be a bit put off.
Overall, Midsommar is another phenomenal hit for director Ari Aster. Despite the repetition of early folk-horror films, Midsommar manages to distinguish itself through a bright, sleek look, effective scary sequences and well-developed characters. Whether looking for your next somber relationship flick or trying to find a scary hit, Midsommar will not disappoint.