Some filmmakers like to wow us with action — others with suspense. But Ari Aster wants to do both, and then some. With his second full-length picture now in theaters, one thing is sure. He swings for the fences.
Midsommar is the director’s second outing where more of his same sinister ideas come out to play. After Hereditary, Aster sought to avoid a sophomore slump with this new release, and judging by this film; it’s possible he’s never heard the phrase.
Midsommar introduces us to Dani (Florence Pugh) who after suffering a family tragedy, sees her relationship with her neglectful boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) simultaneously failing. In an attempt to get her mind off her recent predicament, she agrees (much to the dismay of Christian’s friends) to tag along to attend a Swedish festival. However, upon arrival, the locals start to participate in prophetic and ritualistic traditions, that make for an uncomfortable ride for the characters, and us, the audience. And when the locals perform their first of the nine-day ceremonious rituals, in grisly fashion, Dani, and everyone on the trip realize they probably should have stayed home.
Yes, at two and a half hours, this movie is constant, and in your face, as it pushes the audience to its limits while holding it accountable for purchasing that ticket. More of the same from what we saw in Hereditary, and that’s terrific acting, from everyone within the film, excellent cinematography, and thought-provoking sequences. In many ways, Midsommar is an art film, but it’s also graphic, vile, and wicked. And yet, it manages to be all of these things in the presence of daylight. On top of all that, Aster’s the type of director who will challenge the viewer with seemingly every scene, which ups the intensity to about 11.
The most intriguing aspect of Midsommar isn’t the anticipated violence, but how creative, and artistic the carnage is. The reason Midsommar doesn’t feel overlong is that it forces the viewer to sit and watch every minute of this bizarre festival. So much so, that the two and half hours seem to glide by because you’re too disturbed to check your phone. It’s such a strange ride, that even if it’s not your cup of tea, you still can’t help but be impressed at what you’re watching.
The bleak atmosphere that Aster lays out on screen is slowly becoming his trademark, and it works well in Midsommar, but there’s a bitter pill to swallow with that ending. Its apparent Dani’s descent into insanity or clarity was clearly, slowly provoked by the locals, and her accepting what was is symbolism for her letting go of all that dragged her down including her choice to sacrifice Christian. But as an ending, it felt dull, especially for a film with so much shock value which in this rare instance, actually served a genuinely enticing story that blends grief with cultism. But there doesn’t seem to be much of a payoff here, at least not like in Hereditary. Perhaps that’s the intention, but it doesn’t derail the movie.
With all that said, a lot of horror movies provide the typical hack and slash formula, but Midsommar brings a lot more than just that to the table. You probably can’t even call this a horror movie at all. Aster’s haunting storytelling abilities cannot be denied. How a film with such a beautiful backdrop can be so horrible, and wicked is the very reason this works so well. Credit should be given where it’s due and you won’t have seen anything quite like Midsommar this year. That’s a guarantee.
