Midsommar

9

JustinJ1214Jul 18, 2019

Beautifully shot, well acted horror drama worth seeking out if you enjoy your horror with a bit more class

7 of 20 users found this helpful713

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8

every1acriticJul 3, 2019

The opening sequencing of this film is especially disturbing... The cinematography is top notch, and the set design alone makes this movie worth the price of admission. The humor found in the more absurd moments was much needed. I'mThe opening sequencing of this film is especially disturbing... The cinematography is top notch, and the set design alone makes this movie worth the price of admission. The humor found in the more absurd moments was much needed. I'm personally glad these types of movies are being made, and I hope it finds enough of an appreciative audience that we get more of these types of films from A24. I certainly get why some people wouldn't care for this (although I can't see the justification of scoring this a zero), but if you read up on the traditions that some of the themes were based off then I feel like you can find an appreciation on some level. To be honest, for me I kind of want to go see this thing again because I haven't stopped thinking about it all day today.… Expand

8 of 23 users found this helpful815

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10

Djape1992Jul 3, 2019

Go and see this movie, Something You will never see again !!! Fantastic Master-piece !!!

9 of 27 users found this helpful918

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10

GrachechkovskiJul 23, 2019

This film is brilliant and I can honestly say that Ari Aster is genious like Kojima but in the cinematic. The movie has a one deep, uncovered, prescribed and dramatical story with a masterpiecable sound and horror's notes

6 of 18 users found this helpful612

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9

paulhuntertenorJul 21, 2019

This is my type of movie. I went in mostly blind, only seeing the trailer once several months ago, and came out of the theater with my head spinning. Everything that I like in a movie was superbly executed: pacing, acting, casting, score,This is my type of movie. I went in mostly blind, only seeing the trailer once several months ago, and came out of the theater with my head spinning. Everything that I like in a movie was superbly executed: pacing, acting, casting, score, writing, symbolism, aesthetics, shock, foreshadowing. Ari Aster has solidified his rank as a polarizing visionary, and I'm happily in the camp of fan boy. The only reason I can't give this ten stars (well, besides the fact that I don't think I've ever loved something 100%) is due to a few moments which seemed unintentionally ham-fisted. Midsommar still succeeds, though, delivering a horrifically beautiful film with a devastating sense of the extreme. Special shoutouts to the lead actor, Florence Pugh, and to the practical effects team. Aster's sophomore slam dunk is certainly not for everyone, but for the right horror enthusiast, it's an instant classic. Bravo!… Expand

6 of 18 users found this helpful612

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10

EduardoMoyaOct 5, 2019

A unique experience. I was in a trance the whole movie, absorbed by this weird world and what it made me feel. At the end of the movie I wasn’t thinking about the story or plot or characters,I was just thinking how it made me feel and it wasA unique experience. I was in a trance the whole movie, absorbed by this weird world and what it made me feel. At the end of the movie I wasn’t thinking about the story or plot or characters,I was just thinking how it made me feel and it was great (I didn't sleep well that night, tho). On the technical side, composition, cinematography and art are amazing, Audio wrap it all. Best movie 2019 in my opinion.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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5

Compi24Jul 9, 2019

"Hereditary" director Ari Aster follows up his 2018 stunner with "Midsommar," another twisted jaunt through the world of paganism and the occult. On a technical level, everything that made "Hereditary" so memorable is retained. The shot"Hereditary" director Ari Aster follows up his 2018 stunner with "Midsommar," another twisted jaunt through the world of paganism and the occult. On a technical level, everything that made "Hereditary" so memorable is retained. The shot composition and camera movements are incredibly well-executed and vibrant. The effects are horrific and indelible. The acting is superb, featuring Florence Pugh's finest work to date. But what separates "Midsommar" from "Hereditary" is something a bit more intangible -- the stories vary too different in terms of efficiency. Even at two hours long, "Hereditary" feels as though no moment is wasted, with every scene building to some sort of reveal or twist. "Midsommar" suffers mightily from an excess number of scenes, elements, and even plot threads and characters that needn't be there, ultimately dragging the pacing down and inflating the running time to at least a half-hour longer than I feel it needed to be. Aster also goes AWOL a few too many times here, which was a trifling blemish in "Hereditary" that's evolved into a full blown blister ailing the entire third act of this movie. Whereas "Hereditary" featured only a couple of scenes/moments that made my audience chuckle or scratch their proverbial heads, "Midsommar" has at least a good handful or so that had my theater rolling in laughter at what I'm not even sure are intentionally comedic beats. I know that comparing a filmmaker's movie to their prior work is a bit unfair, but it's all I have to go off of at present. This could have benefitted from a thorough rewrite, in my opinion, but I still thank God there are studios like A24 to champion the unique visions of filmmakers like the one at hand here.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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7

artardmosheaJan 2, 2020

I think the idea that these people would be so afraid of offending a foreign culture that they fail to notice obvious danger; that's really the only way this movie works and if you can buy that, then you'll enjoy the movie.

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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6

MadMaxFuryRoadJul 5, 2019

Having seen the trailer numerous times, Midsommar was easily my most anticipated movie of the summer. However, I went in with a somewhat neutral feeling given the negativity surrounding the film from audiences. As I saw the film today, I mustHaving seen the trailer numerous times, Midsommar was easily my most anticipated movie of the summer. However, I went in with a somewhat neutral feeling given the negativity surrounding the film from audiences. As I saw the film today, I must say that Midsommar was a pretty big letdown for me. The movie starts off really slow and pretty much never gets faster. Midsommar was predictable from the start, and a lot of the great scenes were spoiled from the trailer and an early script I had read online. Personally, I felt the movie was overhyped, and it wasn’t as disturbing or scary as critics have described. Yet the visuals were stunning as expected, and the movie did have fantastic acting. At nearly 2.5 hours, Midsommar felt really long, but there were enough amazing scenes to keep me entertained. (55/100)… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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8

leighbutler1980Jul 6, 2020

Not sure I was supposed to laugh as much as I did through the film! And the film while disturbing is not a horror. But I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and for a film that is 2 1/2 hours I didn’t want it to end. Great story, good characters andNot sure I was supposed to laugh as much as I did through the film! And the film while disturbing is not a horror. But I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and for a film that is 2 1/2 hours I didn’t want it to end. Great story, good characters and acting. Fantastic cinematography.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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8

mcblancaflorJun 24, 2020

I am not an avid horror film viewer (I am really scared of jump scares lol) but I gave this a chance because my friends wanted to watch a horror film and they have watched Hereditary (which I haven’t yet hehe) so they wanted to watch theI am not an avid horror film viewer (I am really scared of jump scares lol) but I gave this a chance because my friends wanted to watch a horror film and they have watched Hereditary (which I haven’t yet hehe) so they wanted to watch the follow up of Ari Aster’s work.

This film is a vibrant tapestry carefully woven with disturbing imageries. Plot is predictable, yes, but the film is made for us to experience the slow burn genre. It’s amazing how Aster weaved the beauty of the set designs with the costume colors and the horror of the cult’s traditional practices. As the film progresses, Harga slowly becomes a disturbing place which is contrary on how it was initially presented. As our feelings towards Harga changes, the characters ‘ relationships are faltering as well. I think this is where Aster’s brilliance in the script sets in. He puts us in a very disturbing but beautiful ride. Dani’s smile at the end shows how someone finally found a family even though how twisted it is.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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9

JLauSep 25, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Weird bunch of Swedes jump off cliffs, bake pies of pubic hair and burn people alive whilst some dumb American tourists take forever to realise something is amiss.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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2

kelisiJan 30, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bad movie. Very bad.

My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. I like the whole indigenous society culty thing but it left no purpose, like what did I just watch. It just left me with so many questions. Who tf was Dani's sister(elaborate pls??), why are all the outsiders such dumba**es except Simon and Connie?? Like how, after witnessing how these people view death, how could you possibly think staying there is a good idea. bUt ThEy SeEm So nIcE. Yeah, they also seemed positively lovely when they bludgeoned people to death, skinned your friends, burned them alive, roofied and raped them. And can I just say Josh is literally so. so. so. dumb, like how does he think this "sacred library" would just be unguarded while the elders knew there were outsiders with a phone there. plus he took those pictures with flash on. nice. And can I just talk about our protagonist here. She is one of the most stupid people I have seen in a horror movie. Her absolute inability to comprehend that these people lOvE death is sending me. Oh, they like flower crowns and twirling around and dancing to some nice indigenous music? Nice, let me join, oh yeah, they kind of bludgeoned two people to death yesterday and two of my new acquaintances just disappeared, which I felt totally odd about but decided to ignore, because I have totally learned after my family's death I need to start trusting my senses more, but all that is besides the point right I mean they drink trippy flower tea and wear pretty dresses. There and the end. I would've given this a one star if not for me learning that Jack Reynor insisted on that full-frontal scene because he felt like girls in horror movies always get slut-shamed while being naked before their death, and for equality's sake he did that, he really did that. Wow, praise. The best part of the movie imo. But not his actual schlong, the narrative behind it.

2/10… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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10

Serenityinaz12Jul 10, 2019

Best horror movie in a decade or more for me. Even better than Hereditary. It's a slow burn but there is no corney supernatural **** or jump scares, just atmosphere and at times disturbing and horrifying on a level rarely seen.

7 of 22 users found this helpful715

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9

Evic21Jul 10, 2019

Even though it may lack the scares you'd expect you typical horror movie, you'll still walk out of the theater feeling unsettled and disturbed. There is truly nothing else like it. The film's eternal sunshine mixed with impending dread andEven though it may lack the scares you'd expect you typical horror movie, you'll still walk out of the theater feeling unsettled and disturbed. There is truly nothing else like it. The film's eternal sunshine mixed with impending dread and unexpected plot devices will hold your interest even if you can't see the movie as a work of art. Many will hate it, but if you give it time, you'll realize that it's an incredible feat of creativity that pushes film into richer and wilder territory.… Expand

7 of 22 users found this helpful715

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10

jasharkowalskiJul 21, 2019

This film is a masterpiece, in one word ! Absolutely totally different from anything an average Joe ever watched at the movies, this is as artistic as Bergman, as scary as Psycho and as funny as Discovery channel ! Beautiful photography,This film is a masterpiece, in one word ! Absolutely totally different from anything an average Joe ever watched at the movies, this is as artistic as Bergman, as scary as Psycho and as funny as Discovery channel ! Beautiful photography, intensive folk music and the creepiest atmosphere ever filmed in the movie, if YOU don't watch this movie better KILL yourself as written in the Hagra's walls !… Expand

6 of 19 users found this helpful613

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10

milkbudJul 20, 2019

I really love this movie, everything from the tiny details to the beautiful scenery to the way the scenes are shot. It really isn't a horror movie (which is how it was advertised) but it's still incredible.

6 of 19 users found this helpful613

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10

AryamanJul 3, 2019

A big improvement over Hereditary! I would say that this movie does an excellent job of leaving you with something to think about in retrospect. I was surprised at how good the movie was and I really liked the artistry of it all.

8 of 26 users found this helpful818

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9

alejandro970Sep 25, 2019

Ari Aster excels himself now with a shocking daylight pagan experience. The 150 minutes have not any dull moment; it´s resourceful for cause shivers the viewer, specially for the score, the photography and a punching finale. A surprise ofAri Aster excels himself now with a shocking daylight pagan experience. The 150 minutes have not any dull moment; it´s resourceful for cause shivers the viewer, specially for the score, the photography and a punching finale. A surprise of autumn 2019.… Expand

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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5

ZeetesJul 26, 2019

Fantastic unless you have no appreciation for masterpiece horror cult movies

3 of 10 users found this helpful37

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10

Lambo442Jul 28, 2019

Incredible film on every level. Disturbing, heart wrenching, blackly comic at times and uncompromising in it's brutality. So much so that I'm even weary of watching it again and stomaching some of that imagery. In a way that's my only gripe.Incredible film on every level. Disturbing, heart wrenching, blackly comic at times and uncompromising in it's brutality. So much so that I'm even weary of watching it again and stomaching some of that imagery. In a way that's my only gripe. I have a tolerance for those things too. But I won't mark it down for that. The brutality is completely in line with the narrative and it's not gratuitous for the sake of it. Masterful stuff. And that music....man. Don't listen to the negative reviews. Sure you may hate it, but give it a go. It's looks to me like one of those films people will either love or hate, a bit like Hereditary. It's always the case when a Director is more of a visionary. People struggle a bit with stuff outside of the norm. Sure it's influenced in part by the Wickerman. But it's so much more. It's really an unflinching and accurate portrayal of how how cults indoctrinate new recruits. Educational stuff if you can concentrate and read between the lines.… Expand

5 of 17 users found this helpful512

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10

PRPonyJul 8, 2019

Best movie I've seen in 20 years. Finally a movie with some originality! Don't miss this one.

6 of 21 users found this helpful615

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10

AffableJul 10, 2019

Thought it was a perfect, surreal and tense movie. The movie does a great job of eliciting responses from the viewer - namely anxiety. Could really identify with some of the more psychedelic moments of the film in a way that couldn’t be doneThought it was a perfect, surreal and tense movie. The movie does a great job of eliciting responses from the viewer - namely anxiety. Could really identify with some of the more psychedelic moments of the film in a way that couldn’t be done in other films with similar themes.… Expand

6 of 21 users found this helpful615

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8

egoBorderOct 11, 2019

This movie depends entirely on your willingness to be hypnotized. If you are willing, the movie is a great horror slow-burn. If not, this will likely come off as pretentious crap. Still coulda lost 15 minutes somewhere, but fans of thisThis movie depends entirely on your willingness to be hypnotized. If you are willing, the movie is a great horror slow-burn. If not, this will likely come off as pretentious crap. Still coulda lost 15 minutes somewhere, but fans of this kind of horror will want more not less.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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5

jayanJul 15, 2019

I liked the film because I could identify the protagonist, like me. It is an extra ordinary movie.

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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9

FelicityFenwickJul 4, 2019

If you're into films that make you think - stuff like Upstream Color, Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me, The Cook, The Thief, etc. - you'll be into this. It's a pretty amazing clash of cultures, and Frances Pugh is amazing in the lead role. AriIf you're into films that make you think - stuff like Upstream Color, Twin Peaks Fire Walk with Me, The Cook, The Thief, etc. - you'll be into this. It's a pretty amazing clash of cultures, and Frances Pugh is amazing in the lead role. Ari Aster is one messed up individual, but I do enjoy seeing his movies! But holy moly is this sucker bloody.… Expand

8 of 29 users found this helpful821

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10

judahjsnJul 5, 2019

Masterful. Somehow even more inspired and assured than Hereditary. I know these films aren't for everyone but he's one of the few directors working today that gives me Kubrikian satisfaction.

6 of 24 users found this helpful618

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8

MarcDoyleJul 4, 2019

No, you won't want to see this film 3 or 4 times like a "horror" classic, but you go to the movies hoping for something unique and different - something that will challenge and surprise you - maybe disgust you. And this film delivers on allNo, you won't want to see this film 3 or 4 times like a "horror" classic, but you go to the movies hoping for something unique and different - something that will challenge and surprise you - maybe disgust you. And this film delivers on all of those fronts. It's meticulously and creatively shot, and the supporting cast feels so authentic. It feels like we've graduated from those Hostel flicks 10 years ago - torture pics - to these creepy cult flicks which feel more accomplished and mature. Absolutely worth seeing.… Expand

5 of 20 users found this helpful515

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10

MateulkaJul 7, 2019

Instant classic. I know that this movie will be underrated, it is not your typical movie and definetely not a typical horror. Even if you didn't understood the meaning and brilliance behind this masterpiece, you can't deny that it isInstant classic. I know that this movie will be underrated, it is not your typical movie and definetely not a typical horror. Even if you didn't understood the meaning and brilliance behind this masterpiece, you can't deny that it is absolutely top notch from technical side. Ari Aster outdid himself.… Expand

5 of 20 users found this helpful515

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9

rlovellJul 25, 2019

Midsommar is a very well-executed slow burn of a horror movie. Ari Aster shows he is a up and coming master at his craft with this movie.

4 of 16 users found this helpful412

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10

ajzeg01Nov 30, 2019

This movie was freaking awesome! It’s interesting, it’s beautiful, it’s intense, it’s really well-made and it is super gory! I really liked all the characters, the tone and pace of the movie is really enjoyable, it has some really creativeThis movie was freaking awesome! It’s interesting, it’s beautiful, it’s intense, it’s really well-made and it is super gory! I really liked all the characters, the tone and pace of the movie is really enjoyable, it has some really creative cinematography with many long takes, and a very messed up story about a happy and peaceful Swedish commune. There isn’t much that I can say about this movie without giving things away, so just give this movie a watch if you like slow, messed-up, artsy horror movies. It’s soooooooooooooo good!!!… Expand

2 of 8 users found this helpful26

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10

BobCDec 16, 2019

If you can handle creepy, very creepy this is a great film. Florence Pugh is exceptional and you should see her in Lady Macbeth.

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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7

bfoore90Mar 30, 2020

While it's not necessarily scary, I would be lying to you if i didn't say this was an incredibly weird and unsettling film. Overall, It is a enjoyable experience and deserves to be seen

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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7

rodrigosoaresamApr 1, 2020

The movie shows news perspectives about how understand a new culture. Also introduces a great photography. The plot get the audience confuse, because you don't know if the Dani's boyfriend is cheating her. I mean, he deservers what happen toThe movie shows news perspectives about how understand a new culture. Also introduces a great photography. The plot get the audience confuse, because you don't know if the Dani's boyfriend is cheating her. I mean, he deservers what happen to him in the final? The plot could be more interesting, btw I recommend people watch this movie. The score for me is 7.3… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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10

BrunoVn00Apr 5, 2020

This creepy cult story has been done before but what makes this movie work isn't the story. If this was directed by some other director, it would've been bad. The cinematography is stunning. It's perfectly directed. The acting is fantastic.This creepy cult story has been done before but what makes this movie work isn't the story. If this was directed by some other director, it would've been bad. The cinematography is stunning. It's perfectly directed. The acting is fantastic. It says so much in a smart way. Really this movie is just great. This is horror done right and it doesn't even take place at night. So many sequences that are genuinely frightening.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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6

TrombsJun 17, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The story is somewhat predictable after some point. The movie is worth watching, and maybe you are one of the people who thinks it´s one of the best movies ever. I am not and wasn´t very affected by it. It reminded me too much of The Wicker Man.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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8

CaptainHowdyJul 5, 2019

This movie makes a lot more sense if you look at it from the perspective of writer/director Ari Aster's own description, which is that it is a breakup film. Yes, there are some gruesome parts. Yes, sometimes the characters' decisions don'tThis movie makes a lot more sense if you look at it from the perspective of writer/director Ari Aster's own description, which is that it is a breakup film. Yes, there are some gruesome parts. Yes, sometimes the characters' decisions don't make sense. Yes, the "horror" isn't particularly gripping. Yes, the movie is deeply, deeply strange.

However, if the entire Sweden trip is taken metaphorically as the emotional journey of a woman (in this case, the protagonist Dani) who has just been dumped from a bad relationship, it comes together beautifully. She's in a strange mental place, and she has to let go of the past in order to enjoy the ample sunshine. The film takes her through the steps of grief, confusion, betrayal, commiseration, and ultimately presents her with a choice that will determine whether she is able to reconvene with the world that always existed outside of the one she built with her ex.

From this perspective, it makes sense that ALL of the members of the main group are his friends, not hers. It makes sense that their characters are all drawn a little flat, while she is easily the most complex of the whole group. It makes sense that they make uncanny decisions and choose not to see what is going on. It makes sense that they all stick around instead of hightailing it out of there once things get bad.

Definitely looking forward to a second watch for this one.… Expand

5 of 21 users found this helpful516

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7

Bertaut1Jul 24, 2019

Poorly advertised as something it isn't; will frustrate and impress in equal measure

Much like his debut, Hereditary (2018), writer/director Ari Aster's Midsommar has been well received by critics but not so much by audiences. And, really,Poorly advertised as something it isn't; will frustrate and impress in equal measure

Much like his debut, Hereditary (2018), writer/director Ari Aster's Midsommar has been well received by critics but not so much by audiences. And, really, it's not hard to see why; both were disingenuously promoted as horrors, drawing in audiences who were disappointed they didn't get what they were expecting. Whereas Hereditary was a study of grief, it did have horror elements, but in Midsommar, there's little resembling a horror trope. Whereas Hereditary dealt with emotional pain, Midsommar is more interested in what happens when the initial pain of bereavement starts to wear off. And whilst the characters are underwritten, and it's painfully predictable, it's beautifully crafted, brilliantly shot in glaring sunlight, and vastly ambitious. And much like Us (2019), it avoids the sophomore slump without knocking it out of the park.

When Dani (Florence Pugh) suffers an unimaginable tragedy, she turns for support to her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor), unaware that he finds her overly needy, and wants to break up. The following summer, she learns that he and his friends Josh (William Jackson Harper) and Mark (Will Poulter) have been invited by Swedish student Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren) to his ancestral pagan commune in Hårga, where a midsummer celebration that occurs once every ninety years will be taking place. Dani joins the group, but it doesn't take long to learn that something isn't right in the commune.

According to Aster, Midsommar is really a breakup movie, and in this sense, Christian is a classic manipulator; after Dani learns about the trip, she's upset that he didn't tell her, but he manipulates her into apologising to him. The core of the story is Dani slowly coming to realise that he isn't the man she thought he was, and in this sense, it's primarily an allegory for the process of a young woman's emotional awakening. Indeed, one can read the character names as symbolic; Dani Ardor is denied love, and in the paganism of the commune, she's offered something she can't get from a self-serving Christian(ity).

Aesthetically, the film looks terrific. Whereas the US scenes are dark and confined, taking place in small poorly lit rooms with the characters wearing drab costumes, once the film shifts to Sweden, Henrik Svensson's production design emphasises an open-plan vastness, Pawel Pogorzelski's cinematography drenches everything in glaring sunlight, and Andrea Flesch's costume design focuses on brilliant white.

There are also some nice individual moments. For example, the choral singing with which the film begins is harshly interrupted by a telephone ringing, suggesting the clash between tradition and modernity; a superb single-take shot takes Dani from heading to her apartment bathroom to entering the bathroom of an airplane; a high altitude shot showing a car travelling along a country road is imbued with malevolent undercurrent as the car passes under the camera, and the camera follows it by turning downwards, ending up upside-down.

As for the acting, Midsommar belongs entirely to Pugh. For most of the film, she's on the precipice of a nervous breakdown, with her performance redolent of Shelley Duval in The Shining (1980). This is easily her best and most layered performance thus far, especially the gamut of contradictory emotions she runs in the last 20 minutes. As Christian, Reynor does do a decent job of getting the audience to loathe his passive-aggressive persona. Poulter plays Mark as the kind of ignorant sex-crazed loudmouth that seems to only exist in the movies. As Josh, Harper barely registers, whilst Blomgren's Pelle is so obviously untrustworthy that it pushes suspension of disbelief to breaking point.

As this might suggest, one of the biggest problems is the underwritten characters. Another issue is that even aside from Pelle, the film pushes suspension of disbelief too far. There are multiple moments when the goings-on should prompt the visitors to leave immediately, but they repeatedly accept the most ridiculous of situations based upon the most tenuous of explanations. In a lot of ways, they're no different from the idiots who get picked off one by one in so many cheap slasher films. Additionally, there are few surprises here. Aster is obviously a big fan of folk horror, especially The Wicker Man (1973), but he allows reverence to the tropes supersede narrative inventiveness, leading to predictability.

That said, however, I did enjoy Midsommar. Aesthetically impressive, and built on a terrific central performance, Aster's mastery of tone sees him through. The script could use some work, but the ominous sense of dread is palpable throughout and the depiction of a toxic relationship is penetrating and emotionally honest. Unnerving and audacious, Midsommar is an exceptionally confident piece of filmmaking, if not necessarily an exceptional piece of filmmaking.… Expand

3 of 13 users found this helpful310

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8

ColginatorJul 6, 2019

We're currently entering a new renaissance in horror, one which has largely been brought on by the many great filmmakers bringing their own unique voices to the genre. There's Jordan Peele who infused the genre with his own brand of socialWe're currently entering a new renaissance in horror, one which has largely been brought on by the many great filmmakers bringing their own unique voices to the genre. There's Jordan Peele who infused the genre with his own brand of social commentary in Get Out, Robert Egger's ability to explore the darker sides of human nature in The Witch and Ari Aster using the genre as a pretense to show us a dysfunctional family dynamic in Hereditary. And Aster continues to keep his horror anchored by his characters in his follow up film, Midsommar.

From the start of the film we're instantly thrown into an uncomfortable situation with Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) clearly living in a broken relationship. Dani fears that she has become too emotional and overbearing to him regularly calling him in tears, whilst he is just trying to find a way to easily end the relationship and is becoming more distant to her. But when she experiences a tragedy he decides that he can't leave yet and at the objections of his friends invites her to come with them on their planned trip to a Sweedish village.

When they arrive they're embraced by the locals who are about to begin a special festival celebrating life and rebirth and enjoy the scenery where there's always light which causes the days to blend in to one another. At first it seems pleasant, but very quickly this constant light switches from being beautiful to unsettling, to the point where we feel as if we're being drowned in light. It also becomes very clear that these pagan rituals are far more sinister and dangerous than they originally thought they would be and every person in the village is part of it. It's an environment similar to the Wicker Man, where there's a feeling that the threat is so encompassing that there's no way that anyone would be able to escape even if they realise they're in danger.

Ari Aster's strong attention to detail is on display throughout the film with each shot constantly conveying information to us. Shots early on are filled with so many hints as to what is to come, including a mosaic at the start of the film which seems to subtly outline the entire plot of the film. He also shows us so much through just the body language of the characters, with Christian constantly looking to the door whenever he's in the room with Dani always looking for a time to escape.

But one of my favourite touches was early on in the film during a strange drug trip a character mentions how he can feel the world around him breathing. Then throughout the rest of the film, there are moments where it feels the world around starts to move unnaturally like a lung inhaling oxygen. At times it was so subtle I wasn't sure whether it was really happening or if my eyes were just playing tricks on me.

Considering the constant sense of horror which looms over the entire film, there's also a surprising amount of humour throughout. A lot of this humour is brought in by Will Poulter, who seems to be one of the actors with an ability to improve every film he's in. Though there's also a lot of moments during the festivities where I was unsure whether it was being unintentionally funny with the film walking across that thin line between awkward humour and abject horror.

Though unlike Hereditary, which was well paced throughout with the story and character dynamics constantly evolving, the last third of this film does seem to stagnate. We already know exactly what's going to happen to these characters, but it's still stretched out by another 30 minutes of slowly going through the motions of these slow rituals. But even in the films slower moments it's still carried by Aster's distinct visual style and a fantastic lead performance from Florence Pugh, whose traumatic screams capture the same sense of complete anguish that Toni Collette did in Hereditary.

Oddly enough the film does technically have very positive undertones being a story about coming to terms with loss, understanding the cycle of life and the importance of having a strong emotional support structure. It's just that these lessons are told to us through creepy rituals and horrific acts of violence. It's a strange and unsettling film which definitely won't be for everyone, but if you're a fan of Hereditary and want another film which leaves you with a sense of dread then you should give this film a chance.… Expand

5 of 22 users found this helpful517

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8

Trineo99Jul 9, 2019

First of all, this film is two-hours and twenty-seven-minutes and for the first hour you don’t really feel the time but towards the end, you could definitely feel it as it starts to drag on. I will admit that all of the scenes in this filmFirst of all, this film is two-hours and twenty-seven-minutes and for the first hour you don’t really feel the time but towards the end, you could definitely feel it as it starts to drag on. I will admit that all of the scenes in this film were necessary for the film but just dragged on far too long. This could be because the director, Ari Aster, wanted to show off the sets but it still doesn’t need to be that long. I will say though that all of the sets were gorgeous, and you could tell the set designers got to have fun with this movie. This film only takes place in one location which without good set design would get boring after a bit but because everything was beautiful to look at, I didn’t mind. Also, the cinematography was outstanding in this film. You can easily see in both of Ari Aster’s films that he really cares about cinematography and how it can help show the story and change the way people feel. I will say there are some cool transition techniques that were used in this film to help change from one location to the next. Now, I’m not going to roast the actors because it’s obvious that they all were giving it their all in this movie but at the same time I just couldn’t get invested into these characters at all. They all pretty much seemed like the exact same character trait just changed slightly a bit. But really throughout the entire film, they just remained that same flat kind of character. In the end, this film may not have been for me but for others, it might be worth checking out. At least watch clips of it to see the stunning scenery and cinematography.… Expand

4 of 18 users found this helpful414

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10

dcstonesJul 28, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Worth it just for the incredible set design but also the sound design, costume, special effects. The artists, stylists and craftspeople must have absolutely loved working on this film. I left the cinema feeling like I shared the psilocybin trips with the cast and it took a few hours to get back to normal. I can’t understand how anyone could say this film was an irretrievable waste of 2 1/2 hours of their lives. The story, themes and imagery were incredibly rich with allusions and meaning to everything from contemporary pop culture to biodynamics to a… Expand

3 of 14 users found this helpful311

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9

shpostalJul 8, 2019

Another film by Ari Aster, his second actually that follows on the heels of "Hereditary", one of the most truly creepy movies about quasi-religious practices, and takes us to a very remote Swedish village that annoyingly to me and hence oneAnother film by Ari Aster, his second actually that follows on the heels of "Hereditary", one of the most truly creepy movies about quasi-religious practices, and takes us to a very remote Swedish village that annoyingly to me and hence one star deduction is completely out of the public and law enforcement eye, where the people are free to carry on a very strange Pagan (i.e., not Christian) religious ceremony that turns gruesome and macabre as the film progresses. After losing her family in a terrible suicide/murder, the heroine is taken along on supposedly a vacation/field trip with friends working on ph.d thesis' and one a resident of this weird community. And it doesn't take long to see where this is going. Anybody who has ever read the legendary short story by Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" will immediately relate that horror tale with the premise of "Midsommer". Aster seems genuinely interested in Pagan lore and their various religions and rituals. That in itself is interesting. But inevitable questions of mind control, the ability to resist or escape surface quickly and are not really addressed. Nonetheless, the film allows the story to progress without pesky law enforcement ever wondering about disappearances of some of the "volunteers" the villagers "pick" for the ceremonies for a good harvest and whatever else at a really gruesome climax. But it can be viewed as a cautionary tale. People are infamous for cognitive dissonance capabilities, and here it's especially strong. But it applies to religion as well as politics and other forms of mass mental control of the species as well, as impressionable and naturally frightened and/or gullible seek solace and comfort in artificial constructs, and with the mental block necessary to achieve the effects desired allow themselves to be programmed into perfect participants in a myriad of social activities. "Midsommar" is a very black sometimes even very darkly humored film that will appeal to those who like having their minds played with for a few hours, but could come across as deeply disturbing to others. But it's splendidly acted, the scenery beautiful and a good addition to people who like their horror to be of the mind melting type as opposed to cliched idiotic slasher flicks.… Expand

4 of 20 users found this helpful416

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8

AndremaxDec 3, 2019

Midsommar is stylish, visually charming, paradoxally visceral and innovating, a kind of movie unseen nowhere.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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7

TejasNairOct 3, 2019

Ari Aster's Midsommar (Midsummer) is weird, wild, outrageous, and straight-off bang-on film material (about a couple's deteriorating relationship narrated through an atmospheric setting set in a green valley off Sweden) that you watch withAri Aster's Midsommar (Midsummer) is weird, wild, outrageous, and straight-off bang-on film material (about a couple's deteriorating relationship narrated through an atmospheric setting set in a green valley off Sweden) that you watch with your partner before going to bed and then schedule a debate with them the following morning about the rationale of joining a pagan cult based in Western Europe and if the world really needs religion at all. TN.… Expand

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9

PumaroJun 20, 2020

Is like a good theatre but with beautiful photography. Even when you know what will be the end, you still want to see the how.

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9

mindfrothApr 10, 2020

This movie is a misunderstood masterpiece and will one day be deemed a classic. Some people are probably horrified by this movie. It's more existential horror than slasher horror and I imagine many don't realize why they're so upset. It isThis movie is a misunderstood masterpiece and will one day be deemed a classic. Some people are probably horrified by this movie. It's more existential horror than slasher horror and I imagine many don't realize why they're so upset. It is thematically and symbolically dense and has the kind of aesthetic detail and nuance that, like the Shining, will never lose its contemplative appeal. All these negative reviews will one day, in retrospect, seem like those of Gene Siskel in his consistent historical lack of appreciation for what turned out to be classics of cinema.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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10

DeanomiteJan 15, 2020

Best horror movie of 2019. This review is for the 3 hour director's cut, it was excellent but could have been a little shorter. I like movies where a collective defines then consumes individuals, it's like a Jungian nightmare. This is AriBest horror movie of 2019. This review is for the 3 hour director's cut, it was excellent but could have been a little shorter. I like movies where a collective defines then consumes individuals, it's like a Jungian nightmare. This is Ari Aster's 2nd movie, Hereditary being very popular but I thought a little overrated. The photography was very good, like a beautiful vacation. There were some amazing characters, relationships evolved naturally. Horror elements threaded in gradually, almost subliminally. Something about a grizzly bear in a cage was a great image. Very good insights into characters. Florence Pugh was the best performance, but all were excellent. She reminds me of Kate Winslet a little, and Jack Raynor reminds me of Chris Pratt. This movie flew by, it was amazing.… Expand

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8

vudumindscienceFeb 4, 2020

I enjoyed Midsommar, much more when I initially saw it and a little less now that I had the time to think about it. I enjoyed the movies lore, set design, sound design, attention to detail and overall mood/theme moreso than the acting or theI enjoyed Midsommar, much more when I initially saw it and a little less now that I had the time to think about it. I enjoyed the movies lore, set design, sound design, attention to detail and overall mood/theme moreso than the acting or the plot, which I felt was a bit flat. Despite this, I think the movie is still worth a watch.… Expand

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9

theredskyNov 26, 2019

Midsommar has stapled A24 as my favorite production and distribution studio. Midsommar is one of those weird movies where I don’t really have any issues with the film but I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece but it is just shy of being one. TheMidsommar has stapled A24 as my favorite production and distribution studio. Midsommar is one of those weird movies where I don’t really have any issues with the film but I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece but it is just shy of being one. The acting is pretty fantastic from everybody. Florence Pugh and Will Poulter are amazing in this movie while everybody else did a great job. Pugh’s performance though was genuinely terrifying. What her character goes through and how she ends up at the end of the film is intriguing to watch. The script definitely helps these performances. It’s very clever and well written and adds many different layers to this film. The cinematography is pretty great too. Each shot has a purpose and adds to the story and most of the shots are colorful and vibrant while the film has an incredibly dark tone and story. There are a lot of shots of some random things that come back into play later which I appreciated. There were also many great sequences. There is a dream sequence that was great and a sequence where the female characters have a dancing contest/ritual which was also great. Watching these characters watch and participate in different rituals was terrifying and the film isn’t afraid to show everything and I mean everything. The film is incredibly gory and there were moments in this film where I was genuinely horrified by what I was witnessing. This is a film that will stick in your mind long after you watch it. Ari Aster definitely nailed it when it came to making a truly uncomfortable film. I really enjoyed the sets and colors they decided to use. It made the film look really pretty while all this really horrible stuff was going on. There was a temple set that looks absolutely beautiful. Overall, Midsommar may not be a masterpiece but its great acting, fantastic cinematography, and disturbing story make this film come so close to being one.… Expand

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10

zNeverSleepingApr 22, 2020

Ari Aster é um gênio!

Nunca achei que veria um filme mais impactante que Hereditário ou tão intento quanto Martyrs (2008), e eis minha supresa: O melhor dos dois mundos! A obra impacta já nos primeiros instantes. Dani nos é apresentada eAri Aster é um gênio!

Nunca achei que veria um filme mais impactante que Hereditário ou tão intento quanto Martyrs (2008), e eis minha supresa: O melhor dos dois mundos!

A obra impacta já nos primeiros instantes. Dani nos é apresentada e aos poucos vamos entendendo mais o que será desenvolvido ao redor do filme. Após a descoberta da morte de toda sua família, sua reação já eleva o patamar e muda a atmosfera do filme, que é deixada de lado em suma intensidade no momento do descobrimento da cultura, mas volta em peso tempo depois. O seu relacionamento conturbado com seu namorado e sua ansiedade patológica só tendem a ficar piores a partir dai. O trabalho que o diretor fez para que houvesse uma ligação afetiva entre Dani e o publico é fora do normal. Seu sentimento parece real, sua interpretação é atenciosa e entregue ao papel, os efeitos audiovisuais utilizados para com que "entremos" na cabeça dela quando a mesma está ansiosa, confusa, com medo ou alegre funcionam de uma maneira orgânica e surpreendente - fora os detalhes Binaurais, que aumentam a imersão consideravelmente. Seus sentimentos são profundos e suas reações são completamente justificáveis. Os outros personagens também são bem desenvolvidos e acrescentam bastante a trama.

O choque cultural aqui funciona de uma maneira interessante. Tudo é lindo e atraente, calmo e solene, até que o preço vem a tona. Costumes antigos, incompreensíveis numa sociedade contemporânea, apresentam-se e causam um estranhamento que retorna a atmosfera já trabalhada desde o principio - de maneira mais sutil - e causa um estranhamento que perpetua até o final da obra.

Nada disso seria tão impactante sem um trabalho técnico maestral. A fotografia é precisa, bela e cruel. Os planos são longos e orgânicos - como as transições, em determinados momentos. A cenografia é criativa e não tem medo de brincar, deixando toda timidez de lado. O diretor de fotografia experimenta bastante, e esse efeito de estranhamento decorrente de ângulos não muito utilizados ajudam na atmosfera ímpar do filme. A paleta de cores intensifica a crueldade de maneira inteligente, incorporando um choque, visto que as cores predominantes eram verde, amarelo e azul. A OST não se mostra presente na maior parte do filme, mas quando vêm... elevam o suspense a níveis astronômicos.

E é claro que não posso deixar de citar o Grand finale. Um clímax nunca presenciado pela minha pessoa. Toda a tensão do filme esbanjada num absurdismo degenerado. Raiva, medo, angustia, incômodo. Tudo junto, em suas respectivas etapas. Nunca senti nada como isso, e estou curioso para saber se sentirei de novo algum dia!… Expand

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10

Im_just_playingApr 3, 2020

So, Florence Pugh was fantastic in this movie, and the atmosphere was creepy. Overall, Midsommar is one of the best movies of 2019, alongside "The Lighthouse" and "Parasite" in my opinion.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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9

SWM5814Jul 28, 2019

Horror as fulfillment. The two leads give themselves over to precisely the things that consume them whole. That almost all of the movie is in daylight only makes it more unsettling. Not a perfect movie - the dueling doctoral theses, designedHorror as fulfillment. The two leads give themselves over to precisely the things that consume them whole. That almost all of the movie is in daylight only makes it more unsettling. Not a perfect movie - the dueling doctoral theses, designed as a metaphor, are still annoying - but an experience so realized, it'll be panned. A lot.… Expand

3 of 16 users found this helpful313

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7

ImaginaryCriticJul 28, 2019

I liked Hereditary so I thought I'd give Ari Aster my support. 'Midsommar' was pretty good in my opinion. The violence and disturbance was there for sure. There isn't much to say about this film just the fact that its strange and weird. ButI liked Hereditary so I thought I'd give Ari Aster my support. 'Midsommar' was pretty good in my opinion. The violence and disturbance was there for sure. There isn't much to say about this film just the fact that its strange and weird. But also very eye opening and I like that.… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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10

Exlee3000Jul 9, 2019

I had to create an account to combat some of the absurd reviews. First off if you thought this movie was long or slow. Then you have the attention span of a caffeinated gerbil and should probably switch to decaf. It was a perfectly pacedI had to create an account to combat some of the absurd reviews. First off if you thought this movie was long or slow. Then you have the attention span of a caffeinated gerbil and should probably switch to decaf. It was a perfectly paced movie imo. You needed all the stuff in the first 3rd of the movie to happen to explain why Dani would be susceptible to the cult's intentions. The movie was intentionally darkly humorous in places and yes you were meant to laugh. To those in the commenters who think they are groovy know it all movie bluffs and that this is just a wicker man RIP off. Ignore them. This movie has plenty of Original ideas. Overall the movie is super well done but gruesome in some parts. Also the soundtrack was perfect. Dont miss this movie!… Expand

5 of 29 users found this helpful524

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8

tonyGreenJan 7, 2020

Great looking film, with some clever cuts and techniques employed. Thematically rich, touching on religion, cultural relativism, and spirituality.

Strong body horror / gore, I have no desire to rewatch this one.

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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9

kirkenderJan 27, 2020

Midsommar comes from the psychological/slow burn genre of horror, and it basks in the macabre. From the opening tragedy til the final act of acceptance, this film oozes cultural mythology. The cult that is the center of the film is not theMidsommar comes from the psychological/slow burn genre of horror, and it basks in the macabre. From the opening tragedy til the final act of acceptance, this film oozes cultural mythology. The cult that is the center of the film is not the villain, and there is no bad person or creature to root against. The terrifying thing about this film is everyone is teetering in the shades of grey that make humanity - and just how quickly our personal world can change. One could easily put some form of metaphor on the cult, relating to the alt-right, or the media, or whatever, but those are too small. The cult is a metaphor for humanity, and that's what makes it uncomfortable. The cult justifies its actions in the same way we justify capitalism, the military industrial complex, and the never-ending slavery of modern consumerism and commidification of attention; We all make sacrifices to maintain our way of life, the cult is just much more up front about the costs. ALSO its creepy AF.… Expand

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7

amheretojudgeAug 27, 2019

It is another home run by Aster with his unique filmmaking style, the misinterpreted celebration is the key to this film.

Midsommar Aster makes horror real. While other filmmakers, other films are desperately trying to fantasize about thisIt is another home run by Aster with his unique filmmaking style, the misinterpreted celebration is the key to this film.

Midsommar

Aster makes horror real. While other filmmakers, other films are desperately trying to fantasize about this beloved concept, Aster is never into that make-believe attitude while dealing with his content. It could be a documentary and you wouldn't know the difference. And this concept, the bizarrely head spinning idea that the writer and director, Ari Aster has dug out is something he values above all. And you can see that easily on both of his films. Even in his debut film Hereditary, Aster keeps the philosophized idea of his above any other character or the world they live in. And if you think about it, THAT is scary.

For an audience responds to characters. They are constantly looking for an image of themselves within these array of characters listed in the film. They are ready to give in, on even the least amount of empathy oozed by any of those bodies floating around. Aster understands this completely and hence hands over that box of chocolate within the first act of the film. Then, the sadistic language of his starts running soon after you get comfortable.

For this host that you are investing in, the box of chocolate that you have just received, is never given any opportunity to redeem itself. You are left not only dissatisfied but vulnerable. The movie experience that you went out to have is what actually is terrifying, now. All you can do is just experience it. And that very dissatisfaction is satisfying. He brings alive the horror genre that he claims. No 3d, no special effects, pure visual storytelling at its best. Aster also makes annoyance his ammo to torture us. Little things like a cry or a scream, sung in unison or in high pitches, in the middle of the day, in Midsommar, contradicting the environment, the behavior is rude and non-social, not particularly odd.… Expand

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8

LajaleaaOct 7, 2019

"You're gonna love it."
.
( 87/100 ) . Ari Aster es innegable, promesa visionaria, maestro y poeta singular. Personalmente le tengo cierto disgusto a la película. La experiencia es realmente magistral, reveladora y siniestra. Aster es un amo"You're gonna love it."
.
( 87/100 )
.
Ari Aster es innegable, promesa visionaria, maestro y poeta singular.
Personalmente le tengo cierto disgusto a la película. La experiencia es realmente magistral, reveladora y siniestra. Aster es un amo de la voz visual y usa la geometría, la semiotica, la simbología, la psicología, antropología y un sin fin de elementos para construir cada una de sus tomas y nutrir el progreso de la película. Es hermoso, magnifico y un ver para creer. ¿Pero porqué el disgusto? Porque es prohibido. Tanto narrativa como visualmente se desarrolla y explora una cultura con practicas polémicas y ajenas a la moral común, tan bien producidas, que no es difícil que el público tenga un sentimiento de participación y presencia dentro del film: Al ver la película sentí que entré a la catedral más hermosa e interesante de mi vida, la cual incidentalmente resultó ser una iglesia satánica. Ver tanta sangre, el olor de las drogas y vapores, los cánticos nauseabundos, las pinturas tétricas y el lúgubre sol que cae imparable sobre un ritual enfermizo me hizo salir mareado y con pocas ganas de volverla a ver. Si lo hago sería para estudiarla mejor y en contra de mi voluntad. Hay tanto que rescatar, revisar y admirar, pero el precio puede ser un agobio tan grande e intenso como su belleza.
A excepción de Florence Pugh, que actúa con talento, el cast principal es algo mediocre, pero el verdadero valor dramático está en la comunidad, pues el elenco comparte y expresa el alma de la cultura con unidad y fortaleza. Ari también capta las varias capas visuales de su universo y permite que la música, que también sorprende, sea un elemento visible en el escenario. "Midsommar" no es tan excelente como "Hereditary" (2018), y no es difícil notar las coincidencias narrativas que agilizan las cosas aunque provoquen cierta disonancia, pero es un ejercicio de cinematografía que te reta a considerar que "si no sientes cuan hermoso es este horror, entonces no estas sintiendo con el corazón".
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Ari Aster is undeniable, visionary promise, singular master and poet.
Personally, I kind of dislike the movie. The experience is truly masterly, revealing and sinister. Aster is a lord of the visual voice and uses geometry, semiotic, symbology, psychology, anthropology and an endless list of elements to build each one of his takes and feed the progress of the movie. It's beautiful, magnificent and a see to believe. But why the dislike? Because it's prohibited. Narratively and visually there's a culture being explored with polemic and alien practices to the global moral, so well produced, that is difficult that the public doesn't share a sense of participation and presence inside the movie. While seeing the movie I felt like going into the most beautiful and interesting cathedral of my life, which incidentally turned out to be satanic. Seeing that much blood, the smell of the drugs and the steam, the nauseating sings, the dismal paintings and the baleful sun that falls unstoppable over a sickening ritual made me exit dizzy and with little intentions of watching it again. If I do it, it would be to study it again and against my will. There's so much to rescue, investigate and admire, but the price can be a burden as big and intense as its beauty.
Excluding Florence Pugh, who acts with talent, the main cast is kind of mediocre, but the real dramatic value is in the community since the cast shares and expresses the soul of the culture with unity and strength. Ari also captures the several layers of his universe and allows the music, which is also surprising, to be a visible element in the scenery. "Midsommar" might not be as excellent as "Hereditary" (2018), and is not difficult to notice the narrative coincidences that speed up things even if they induce some dissonance, but it's a cinematography exercise that challenges you to consider that "if you don't get to feel how beautiful is this horror, then you’re not feeling with your heart".… Expand

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9

ThatFilmGuy20Oct 7, 2019

Midsommer is a beautiful exercise in madness. It takes you on a carefully selected mind trip that will envoke a spectrum of emotion out of you, and it is both weirdly satisfying and disturbing at the same time. Although the story is patchyMidsommer is a beautiful exercise in madness. It takes you on a carefully selected mind trip that will envoke a spectrum of emotion out of you, and it is both weirdly satisfying and disturbing at the same time. Although the story is patchy here and there, it makes for an excellent narrative that is both piercing and poignant, Ari does a great job of creating a looming evil feeling without being over the top, which I loved a lot.

Midsommer is of course not for everyone, but it is a beautiful work that thinks differently and feels very refreshing, I loved it.… Expand

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7

PhilipBlakeOct 10, 2019

2000 Maniacs meets The Wicker Man. Very well done and directed even if the story and events are really predictable and some passages are relatively boring. Overall a enjoyable experience and deserves to be seen.

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10

groptimumSep 16, 2019

This is simply a very powerful, masterfully made film, from a writer/director that has an astoundingly sure vision and command of all aspects of filmmaking. The setting, cinematography, shot choices, acting, writing and music / set pieces areThis is simply a very powerful, masterfully made film, from a writer/director that has an astoundingly sure vision and command of all aspects of filmmaking. The setting, cinematography, shot choices, acting, writing and music / set pieces are impressive and the whole thing really packs a punch. I didn't even know anything about the film when I chanced it at an arthouse pub/theater in Phoenix AZ and I was knocked right out of my seat. I'm not normally a "horror" guy but this movie is so smart, fierce, honestly suspenseful, weird and meticulously made- I told a bunch of friends to please go see it. People who are knocking any aspects of this film- I don't know what world of mindblowing masterpieces they're used to seeing in the theaters to make this one not great. It is super unique and undeniably powerful.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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10

PanchogulNov 23, 2019

Una excelente película, para mi, junto con Joker, las mejores películas de todo el año, Florence Pugh hace un trabajo increíble en su papel protagonista, lo hace tan bien que sientes profundamente todo lo que a ella le pasa y Ari Aster loUna excelente película, para mi, junto con Joker, las mejores películas de todo el año, Florence Pugh hace un trabajo increíble en su papel protagonista, lo hace tan bien que sientes profundamente todo lo que a ella le pasa y Ari Aster lo hace de maravilla como escritor y director en su segundo largometraje, la fotografía y banda sonora son sublimes, un ritmo lento pero que te atrapa desde el comienzo y te tiene ansioso por seguir indagando más y más, para mi fue toda una experiencia ver esta película, terminé yendo a verla tres veces y podría seguir haciéndolo, es simplemente magnífica.

No es una película para todos, no es cine convencional, no es terror ni horror tradicional, este es retorcido, intrigante, lleno de locura y pesadilla, tiene imágenes bastante fuertes y es bien explícita, quizás ese sea un punto no tan positivo, ya que al ser explícita en todo sentido, no deja nada a la imaginación ni nada que sea de libre interpretación a diferencia de Hereditary que si tenía por donde interpretarse de varias formas, o es eso, o es que yo simplemente supe absorber la película al 100% en la primera visualización, en fin, para mi estuvo excelente y espléndida.… Expand

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9

bartcbemSep 26, 2019

Just like in the case of Hereditary, creators went in to great length in to researching the source material. Movie if fantastic, beautifully shot, with great acting and fantastic soundtrack. Again, just like with the Hereditary, if you dontJust like in the case of Hereditary, creators went in to great length in to researching the source material. Movie if fantastic, beautifully shot, with great acting and fantastic soundtrack. Again, just like with the Hereditary, if you dont fully understand the source, you can easily miss just how much detail is in this film. Eagerly awaiting third movie from this creator.… Expand

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10

UncleWillardOct 7, 2019

I loved it. Its beautifully shot and soul crushingly tragic, but also funny and shocking in unexpected ways. I adored Florence Pugh before I saw this, and it only cements my appreciation for her. I rewatch very few movies, especially so soonI loved it. Its beautifully shot and soul crushingly tragic, but also funny and shocking in unexpected ways. I adored Florence Pugh before I saw this, and it only cements my appreciation for her. I rewatch very few movies, especially so soon after the first viewing, but was happy to rewatch this.… Expand

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10

zerochaSep 20, 2019

Stunning, bright and overwhelming.
Midsommar has messed up with my sleep, it really gets under your skin as you start questioning traditions and customs.

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10

CristoParadoSep 21, 2019

A gloriously disturbing juxtaposition of religions and their influence on the societies derived from them, of the rural and the urban, of sustainability and consumerism, of resistance and surrender, of the male and the female principles, ofA gloriously disturbing juxtaposition of religions and their influence on the societies derived from them, of the rural and the urban, of sustainability and consumerism, of resistance and surrender, of the male and the female principles, of the beast and the human, of disdain and reverence, of the new and the archaic. A tale that disturbs both with its imagery and the thoughts it provokes, the notions it challenges. A long, excruciating movie that invites the audience to ask themselves who’s really sane and really right. Those looking for cheap scares will hate it, those looking to get really scared and stimulated will love it. A wonder.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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10

Alonso_123Sep 24, 2019

Ari Aster Te introduce a la Aldea contándote una brutalidad de la manera más hermosa te hace sentir bien con todo lo que hacen, pero nada está bien lo ves en la cara de ella al final
Una completa locura una obra maestra.

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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10

MasadaAug 9, 2019

Ari Aster is the master of horror. Not only does he know how to make a bright spring day feel haunted and creepy, he's an expert at bending space and time for his transitions. It will be a while before something catches me off guard like thisAri Aster is the master of horror. Not only does he know how to make a bright spring day feel haunted and creepy, he's an expert at bending space and time for his transitions. It will be a while before something catches me off guard like this movie did.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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8

MarshallCavalliAug 15, 2019

After watching Hereditary, I was curious to know what was to come next. Boy, was I amazed. Midsommar is the story of Dani, a young woman who's friend killed her own parents and committing suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Her grief hasAfter watching Hereditary, I was curious to know what was to come next. Boy, was I amazed. Midsommar is the story of Dani, a young woman who's friend killed her own parents and committing suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Her grief has manifested with in herself as she tries to get over it. But when her boyfriend is going to Sweden to experience the midsommar festival in a local commune, which happens every 90 years. Look, before I say anymore, I must preface this by saying that you should see this film. It is fantastic. No seriously it is. It is one of the best films of the year. I will avoid spoilers if possible, but I make no promises.

With that said, there are some problems I personally have with the film as a whole. The script needed to be tighter, just like with Hereditary. There are some extremely goofy lines that shouldn't been in there. Most of them come from the character of Mark, played by the fantastic Will Poulter. Others just are tonally dissonant, such as the Austin Powers line. Moments of this film reminded me of Hereditary and it has a tenuous connection of loss and how one can deal with it. Ari Aster should have connected them in theme, to give the film an interesting dichotomy of loss of a family member versus a loss of a friend and how that can affect a person and their life. While the acting is phenomenal, the camera and direction feels at times meandering. Struggling to conclude in the last stretch of the feature. The first half was great and built tension, so why go in such a different direction than what was started. It isn't that it comes completely out of left field, but I don't see why you should end it the way it does. There is a scene in the film that will shock you very early on, when the older characters have to a ritual that will shock the protagonists. To me, I started to notice that he was making more of a exploitive angle to what he's trying to do. I don't mind personally, because I love movies that are provocative such as Caligula, Death Race 2000, and Antichrist. For this film, it doesn't work with the tone its trying to set. This is a serious art house horror film that deals with cults, do we really need close ups of the aftermath?

Say what you want about Natural Born Killers, the tone was all over the place and made sense to have a random animated sequence in the film. Midsommar is far better than that, but the tone is crucial to making a horror film work or any other type of film for that matter. Midsommar is an excellent feature by Ari Aster, with stellar performances and production behind it making it great. But it honestly needed another writer to make the story grounded in reality, some minor editing choices changed and a tone correction would give the film an iconic status as one of the greats. As it is, this film is excellent and you should see it.… Expand

1 of 8 users found this helpful17

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8

FlixReviewsAug 4, 2019

Splendid and beautifully made, this cinematic wonder is a worthy follow up to Ari Aster's Hereditary. Balancing geniune horror with modern "in your face" unsettling horror, this film is powered by Florence Pugh's wonderful performance thatSplendid and beautifully made, this cinematic wonder is a worthy follow up to Ari Aster's Hereditary. Balancing geniune horror with modern "in your face" unsettling horror, this film is powered by Florence Pugh's wonderful performance that will leave a lasting mark on the horror genre, as Ari Aster rises to the occasion with another hit.… Expand

1 of 9 users found this helpful18

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9

TrentReyAug 1, 2019

A very well written-directed movie by the director, Ari Aster. It's a very strange movie that you might not make sense until the very end of it. There are so many little details in the production design that the audience has to pay attentionA very well written-directed movie by the director, Ari Aster. It's a very strange movie that you might not make sense until the very end of it. There are so many little details in the production design that the audience has to pay attention to in order to fully understand the movie. The cinematography in this film is very beautiful and strange at times. The audience might notice that some scenes might be a little over-exposed. The style of the cinematography fits the story well. The music for this film is amazing. The Haxan Cloak did an amazing job of scoring this film. Going into this movie the audience may not know about the main actress, Florence Pugh, but after the movie end, the audience will want to see her in more films. She did an amazing job of playing Dani in this movie. Overall, there isn't much to dislike about this movie. It's suspenseful, thrilling, funny a few times, and strangely scary.… Expand

1 of 12 users found this helpful111

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10

Hugi09Aug 4, 2019

Hyper bizarre !!! Trop chelou ce film mais intéressant. Je suis assez partagé mais les acteurs sont quand même parfait alors...

1 of 12 users found this helpful111

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6

tibzoidOct 6, 2019

Predictable, dull, seen it a million times before. Everything is telegraphed a million miles in advance, and the characters don't behave like real people. We could have had fun here, played around with expectations. Instead it's just emptyPredictable, dull, seen it a million times before. Everything is telegraphed a million miles in advance, and the characters don't behave like real people. We could have had fun here, played around with expectations. Instead it's just empty and uninteresting. Maybe it will scare some frail, unsocialized millennials.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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9

Miles_LongJan 15, 2023

3rd time watching this flick. I love it. It’s creepy, beautiful, disturbing, unnerving, and fresh. It takes its time to build up the horror. If you enjoy art house cinema and horror, this is grade A.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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0

KingKApr 15, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So pretentious it hurts! Big disappointment since Heiditary is a solid work.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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10

DonKnottsGhostOct 4, 2022

Saw this movie 2 years ago and literally still think about it from time to time, it is that affecting. Over the top? Certainly, but in a good way. A psychological horror piece that will stay with you. Just be sure if you are in the right moodSaw this movie 2 years ago and literally still think about it from time to time, it is that affecting. Over the top? Certainly, but in a good way. A psychological horror piece that will stay with you. Just be sure if you are in the right mood and ready to absorb some serious anguish. Overall an excellent, excellent film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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8

vitortfvDec 3, 2020

De fato um filme criativo e bastante detalhista. Não trás um roteiro genérico, pois o foco principal é justamente o contexto histórico e não um grupinho de adolescentes em uma situação arriscada, como costuma-se ver. Então é algo bem trivial.De fato um filme criativo e bastante detalhista. Não trás um roteiro genérico, pois o foco principal é justamente o contexto histórico e não um grupinho de adolescentes em uma situação arriscada, como costuma-se ver. Então é algo bem trivial. Cada emoção apresentada pelos personagens reflete em atitudes que surgem durante a trajetória de cada um, não é nada 'jogado'. Um ponto sobre os efeitos foi a câmera desfocada, que trás a sensação duvidosa se realmente tudo aquilo está acontecendo, provocando uma agonia e expectativa sobre o que irá ocorrer. A trilha sonora também ajuda a tornar tudo mais agonizante, utilizando-se de sussurros e vozes. O mais interessante é que praticamente todo o filme é passado durante o dia e mesmo assim não perde a essência de um bom filme de terror/suspense. Sobre as mensagens do filme, a diferença cultural da comunidade provoca choque e receio ao grupo de amigos, principalmente pelas seções extremamente violentas. Através do desconhecido é justamente quando acabamos descobrindo nossas próprias estranhezas. Sem contar que a comunidade tem um senso coletivo bem extremo, onde percebe-se que em muitas situações, eles sentem a emoção do outro, enquanto o grupo de amigos representa o individualismo, acabando por interferir na jornada de cada um. Não é um filme para todos, pois testa a paciência e a necessidade de interpretar entrelinhas.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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7

ApolscSep 13, 2020

Ari Aster films beautiful movies, there´s no doubt about that and it´s a breath of fresh air for a genre that usually doesn't care. The script starts in a promising way but deflates as the movie advances. You end up with this cliche horrorAri Aster films beautiful movies, there´s no doubt about that and it´s a breath of fresh air for a genre that usually doesn't care. The script starts in a promising way but deflates as the movie advances. You end up with this cliche horror movie moments where the characters do exactly the opposite anyone in their situation would do.… Expand

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10

vgmkyleMay 6, 2023

If you don't like Ari Aster you must still be watching Transformers movies and I have no respect for you as a human being at all. Midsommar is disturbing because of how realistic it is written for the occasion and ride it puts you on. TheIf you don't like Ari Aster you must still be watching Transformers movies and I have no respect for you as a human being at all. Midsommar is disturbing because of how realistic it is written for the occasion and ride it puts you on. The fact that Ari was able to create something like this disturbs me greatly; a horror film should not be this scary filmed during the day, but it is.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

InuarcerAug 24, 2021

This movie is wrong in so many ways. The pacing, the script the story. And the fore moments are completely out of place.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

d0vla11Mar 2, 2020

Pretty interesting movie with great acting, but the director's way of filming i just can't accept it.
It really is original, but as Hereditary, this one again leaves me underwhelmed after the ending. Also that happy vibe you get from a badPretty interesting movie with great acting, but the director's way of filming i just can't accept it.
It really is original, but as Hereditary, this one again leaves me underwhelmed after the ending. Also that happy vibe you get from a bad ending i just can't see it happen at all.… Expand

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

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6

BladeLover2049Feb 15, 2021

Very good baroque aesthetic for a modern horror movie. Although it is overshadowed by its almost hidden occultism it is a good horror movie. Much superior to its predecessor.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

nickycertoAug 1, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The film was very original and gorgeous visually. I enjoyed the subtle details within most shots. That being said, the story could've used more focus to support the stylized film. There should've been a clearer and deeper progression of Dani's arc in order to make her final decision more impactful as a moment. AND/OR there should've been a deeper dive into the culture of this Scandinavian society by expanding on the meaning of this grand ceremony and focusing on the idea of life-cycles which drive these people to murder and mutilate their guests. By cutting some of the unnecessary scenes addressing the dynamic of Christian's friend group there would be room to expand on Dani and this twisted, but somehow, beautiful culture; sharpening the focus of the film. I am all for having the audience make connections and inferences, but I felt as though we had to guess about too many things.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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5

kuhtneezAug 4, 2019

My Facebook friends catalyzed my hype for the movie, which is shown for a limited time on very few theaters in my country. I was very excited to watch the late night screening four cities away from mine but, darn, the movie was too boring andMy Facebook friends catalyzed my hype for the movie, which is shown for a limited time on very few theaters in my country. I was very excited to watch the late night screening four cities away from mine but, darn, the movie was too boring and slow-paced.

The characters were great, so was the editing, but the marketing was too good to be true. The movie trailer set the audience's expectation too high that it just fades when you start focusing your eyes on the movie screen for two hours and a half. Not worth it.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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8

hnestlyontheslyOct 7, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Friend said to me half way through that the movie felt like it was paced like a television show, no dead time, and unlike other, thirstier horror films, it contains no jump scares. Midsommar is aware of its eccentricities, is willing to split the audience between laughter and gasps (the moment when William Jackson Harper goes to bed with his tennis shoes on, some hero behind me told his girlfriend, “Dude’s ready to bounce,” and everyone in the theater laughed, despite our misgivings. The humor and drama of every high impact scene are skillfully regulated. Aster puts a lovely twist to the moment in every horror film when the main characters take it upon themselves to escape their present circumstances, when we the audience derive joy from their newfound agency and newfound horror from their failed attempts at escape as a result of that agency. Instead of escape, Dani’s form of agency comes from her falling deeper down the rabbit hole, giving our plot a different shape than usual.

Friend and I saw this last minute on Wednesday after getting back from showing Niece Stanford U. It is well-documented that I love Florence Pugh in all her glorious forms, even especially as an unwieldy flower dinosaur in this film. The trailer is pretty (&) trippy, and, after having seen the movie, does an excellent job of withholding details while showing everything. Director Ari Aster, who debuted last year with the memorably ambitious and uneven Hereditary, describes it as Wizard of Oz (my favorite film) on acid, which is all I needed to hear to be on board.

The flexibility of the horror metaphor is something that I’ve written about before as a quality of horror worth watching, and Aster’s Midsommar is of the top tier in this respect, a canny mix exploration of loss in both the extreme and mundane (suicide and relationship troubles). It has a more explicit interest in the psychology of the everygirl. Hereditary was a lot of things, but it leans hard on Mother-Daughter character tropes and doesn’t do much investigation into the goings on of twenty-something sexually active modern women. Midsommar by contrast seems engrossed in the different masks those women wear (sometimes literally and made of skin!), their hopes and dreams and fears, and the way that their anxieties bounce around and echo in other bodies. An empathic small town cult seems like a kind of perfect metaphor for social media without any of the clunkiness of actually portraying texting or swiping or sharing.

Speaking of leaning hard on things: if there is one indulgent vice of Midsommar, it is it’s reliance on a couple of shocking images that you’ll recognize when you see them for their shock factor. Rather than deluge the audience with fresh new horrors as discoveries multiply, the film circles back on the grotesque as a means of heightening emotional contrasts and indicating growth through time and imagery.

Midsommar successfully tops Hereditary, feels a lot more complete and contained than the sprawling plot of that first film. And where Hereditary really falls off the rails in the last fifteen minutes or so, Midsommar is more disciplined about its controlled blaze, its tone, and marking its choices. There are some moments when one needs to willfully turn off their brain in order to plow through to interesting moments: the commentary on depression and suicide is pretty **** (which isn’t to say that Ari isn’t entitled to an elevated depiction of mental health, he clearly understands how to do nuanced). Much more satisfying is the way in which he removes and isolates our emotional lives from their cultural context, removes technology and Americana, and lets the characters forge ahead with more primal instincts. The director seems to have a knack for playing with the mundanity of our everyday demons, the ones we’re one pill away from.

**** Jack Reynor for telling you not to laugh. Go and laugh at whatever you want. It’s beautiful and scary and fun and funny.

Recommended reading: Dame Rebecca of Slate has written about the “mundanity of horror” we were talking about.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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7

SoyHenryVNov 24, 2019

Aster maneja el tema de la enfermedad mental de una manera brillante totalmente metafórica y artísticamente bella. El talento de Aster con su gran dirección y un equipo talentoso detrás de cámara que cautivan con gran fotografía y un belloAster maneja el tema de la enfermedad mental de una manera brillante totalmente metafórica y artísticamente bella. El talento de Aster con su gran dirección y un equipo talentoso detrás de cámara que cautivan con gran fotografía y un bello díseño de producción no es lo suficientemente fuerte para sostener las más de dos horas de duración. La idea se sostiene por momentos, pero la ambientación no es lo suficientemente incómoda durante todo el trayecto si no fuera por la violencia y las imágenes desagradables y perturbadoras. No es sobre de qué va Midsommar, sino de la experiencia que vas a sentir al ver esto, tiene detalles fascinantes, pero también algunos elementos de sobra. Advierto que esta película tiene la escena de sexo más divertida e incómoda que he visto en mucho tiempo.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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6

mahdimeshkateeMar 23, 2020

the second feature film of ari aster was a downer for me. sure it has some good actings and cinematic values and brings something to the table for the horror genre, it lacks the climax that aster was able to pull off by the end of hereditary

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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10

SrGusJan 6, 2020

I confess that I became a big fan of the director when I watched Hereditary and was very anxious to know what his next job would be. I put a lot of expectation on your new movie and I can say that it did not disappoint me. Ari Aster handed meI confess that I became a big fan of the director when I watched Hereditary and was very anxious to know what his next job would be. I put a lot of expectation on your new movie and I can say that it did not disappoint me. Ari Aster handed me a movie that deals, between the lines, the relationship is worn out. I like the beginning of the movie, because it uses time well to establish the relationship of the characters, both the main and the supporting. The movie is also in no hurry to start acting like a thriller and horror. The scenes that claim to be shocking take time to happen, but when they happen it is chilling. While in Hereditary the dark environment prevails, here in Midsommar we have daylight remaining for much of the film. For thinking that in horror movies bad things happen only at night, in this movie, it doesn't matter if it's clear. Things happen the same way and have the same impact if it were overnight. I loved the final scene and found it a bit like the Hereditary ending. The triangular geometric form appears again here and the symbology it may have is quite understandable. An ending that may not be seen as a happy ending, but in the eyes of the protagonist, is a perfect ending.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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7

movingpicturesApr 14, 2020

Very strong beginning. Too long. As the film continued, characters made stupid and unbelievable decisions to serve the plot. I am disappointed after the very strong/near perfect Hereditary. If you have never heard of Hereditary, skip thisVery strong beginning. Too long. As the film continued, characters made stupid and unbelievable decisions to serve the plot. I am disappointed after the very strong/near perfect Hereditary. If you have never heard of Hereditary, skip this movie. The violence is horrific. Ending was predictable and unsatisfying.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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4

ullmjdJan 1, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Midsommar is a very pretty movie, but overall it's bland and frustrating to watch. I'll try to get into this without too much spoilers.

So the story's main focus and villain is a cult (obviously). In a genre that is already oversaturated with cults Midsommar does basically nothing new or interesting with it's run of the mill, "connected with nature", religious fanatics. That itself is unfortunate but certainly not enough to make a movie inherently bad, what really makes this movie so frustrating to watch is the lack of conflict.

So why was there barely any conflict? Because the entire main cast is incompetent. In fact, there was one character who was genuinely likable because he was the most unapologetically incompetent and disrespectful. The only character that seemed to have a normal reaction to the situation and may have proved to be competent later on died very early in the movie. There was one moment quite far in the movie when I genuinely thought things were heading in a good direction, a main character had (finally) caught on to the fact that he was being drugged and refused to drink the "tea" he was given. The way he boldly declared he didn't want to have a bad trip as he handed the tea back gave me hope he was going to put up some sort of resistance, but about 10 seconds later without any coercion he changed his mind and drank the tea. Throughout the entire movie there wasn't a single scene that didn't go as the cult had planned. Honestly I dont think that alone would make the movie bad either, but a generic villain that ALSO faces no conflict is just not that interesting to watch. The entire movie felt like it was leading up to some great revelation only to be predictable and boring, granted, it had a little bit of gross factor. I did like the soundtrack, and although I didnt find a single moment of the movie to be the least bit creepy or scary, the music helped create high tension. There was some beautiful cinematography that makes it difficult to rate this movie so poorly, but all things considered, Midsommar was mediocre at best.… Expand

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6

Stream2BigScreeJan 28, 2020

Midsommar: Scream or Stream?

The Stream: For a movie designated mystery/horror, the film was lacking in execution of both. The Big Screen: The cinematography is top notch/Oscar-worthy. The Final Bill: The movie delivers in weirdness butMidsommar: Scream or Stream?

The Stream: For a movie designated mystery/horror, the film was lacking in execution of both.

The Big Screen: The cinematography is top notch/Oscar-worthy.

The Final Bill: The movie delivers in weirdness but execution with suspense/horror is lacking.

-S2S

Midsommar is Director Ari Aster’s follow-up film to Hereditary. Hereditary (check our review in facebook review archive) garnered some mixed reviews, but most were positive. Let’s see if Midsommar can continue with that momentum.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe it will. There are many things I could say that are bad about this movie, but let’s start with the good. The movie’s cinematography, especially when set in Sweden, is mesmerizing. Almost every shot is done intentionally and artfully. One of my favorite shots, occurs early on and is insignificant to the plot, but I just remember thinking the use of a drone was dope. You go from riding in the car with the characters to flying to floating upside down then coming back to reality in the matter of moments. This was just one of the cool shots throughout the movie. Outside of the cinematography, the only other good part were the random villagers. They were on point. I can’t say the same for the actual cast. The villagers are fascinating and spellbinding. They are the magic of the film, but beyond them, there comes issues.

The first issue with the movie was the main cast. Do not get me wrong. They were not horrendous. They were just not good. I truly believe, if the movie were cast (or directed) better, my feelings of the movie would have been different. It: Chapter 2 was a trailer prior to the movie. I couldn’t help but to think that if that cast were in this movie, we might be talking about an Oscar rather than a Razzie (no, it’s not that bad). Each actor seemed to fit their character; however, each individual character was lacking or felt insignificant. Either way, each character had limited development; and, except for Dani (Florence Pugh) in the beginning, you ultimately don’t care about the characters. It’s hard to get engrossed in a movie you barely care about what happens to the characters.

On top of the poor character development, the thing everyone came to see was missing, the suspense/mystery/horror. Let’s start with what there was of the mystery. (NO Spoiler Coming- all info comes from the Trailer see above) We know something went wrong with Dani and that’s why she’s deciding to go on this trip. But why and how does it fit into the overall storyline? We know they are going to a commune in Sweden where there is a interesting summer tradition. What are the traditions, the meanings and what is going on? These questions keep rolling through your mind throughout the movie.

That’s where mystery ends. Everything else is either predictable or straight forward (if you take random villagers at their word). For as weird and psychedelic as it tries to be, the movie lacks imagination, especially after Hereditary’s randomness. I’m surprised this director had an issue with imagination and originality. There are a couple shocking moments but even more anti-climatic moments. The movie feels more stagnate than suspenseful at times. In addition to that, for horror fans there are only 2 minutes worth of material that could be considered scary out of a 141 minute runtime. Talk about too long for too little payout. This was quite a letdown compared to the enthralling trailer. The only hope is that Hereditary and Midsommar are actually a part of a connected trilogy or universe.

In a nutshell, this movie looks beautiful but isn’t worth spending the money in the theater UNLESS you enjoyed Hereditary. The movie delivers in weirdness, but execution with suspense is lacking. Wait for this to come to Netflix and do not expect to be scared or surprised.… Expand

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8

DouglasspompeuJun 10, 2020

This film makes us feel haunted by it for some time, it fulfills exactly like an horror genre movie. The second half of it is simply innovative and bold. Clearly Ari Aster brought a new air to the cinema with this picture that features aThis film makes us feel haunted by it for some time, it fulfills exactly like an horror genre movie. The second half of it is simply innovative and bold. Clearly Ari Aster brought a new air to the cinema with this picture that features a brilliant performance by Florence Pugh.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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10

ValhallaCatFeb 10, 2020

Midsommar is a rather difficult film to explain. Personally I liked it a lot, but not all my friends did. The film is slow, and you don't know where you're going, but for some reason, you end up captivated and embark in this strange universe.Midsommar is a rather difficult film to explain. Personally I liked it a lot, but not all my friends did. The film is slow, and you don't know where you're going, but for some reason, you end up captivated and embark in this strange universe. The characters, without necessarily being incredible, are directed with a masterful hand and we get caught up in the game of horror and disturbance.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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8

imconorirlApr 3, 2020

Midsommar is the definition of a slow burn. I was tentatively pulled along for the ride from start to finish and whenever I felt like I was about to write it off and get off the train, something bat-sh*t crazy would reel me back in. TheMidsommar is the definition of a slow burn. I was tentatively pulled along for the ride from start to finish and whenever I felt like I was about to write it off and get off the train, something bat-sh*t crazy would reel me back in. The characters are the weakest part of the movie by far, although this is not for a lack of decent acting, but instead lacklustre writing in my opinion. The highlight of the film for me was the fantastic visuals and the brilliant soundtrack, rising and falling along with the beats of the story. What story it does tell is done very well through a lack of dialogue for the most part, especially in the last 30 minutes where everything coalesces and the pieces fall into place finally. A great film that will definitely not be for everybody, but if you're looking for something outside of your comfort zone, this may be for you as the atmosphere, cinematography and music are all stellar and accompanied by a story that gives you 'erm, what?' moments every 15 minutes.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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8

loremMar 30, 2020

A strange and unsettling movie, with an unusual setting for horror genre, which manages to terrify you through human behavior.

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7

BryanAndrewApr 9, 2020

A beautifully disturbing film that hypnotizingly edges the viewer into a colorful yet horrifying nightmare, prevalent with themes of overcoming grief, dealing with toxic relationships, and ultimately, finding a sense of belonging in anA beautifully disturbing film that hypnotizingly edges the viewer into a colorful yet horrifying nightmare, prevalent with themes of overcoming grief, dealing with toxic relationships, and ultimately, finding a sense of belonging in an apathetic world. The film portrays possibly one of the best horror film performances to date by Florence Pugh (the main female protagonist) who pours her heart and soul out so completely and yet in a way that feels utterly real and human. 'Midsommar' also boasts its best work with enchanting cinematography and a psychedelic soundscape, and slowly unveils unnerving revelations that would make one squirm and yet fail to avert their gaze from the entrancing, almost hypnotic feel of the picture. Ultimately though, the film falls short to a slow-moving and fairly simplistic narrative, that spans over a largely excessive run time. I would recommend this film to those who are fans of the artistic and moody side of the psychological horror genre, who can also forgive the elongated runtime and the dismal, contemplative pace. 'Midsommar' scores a 7/10.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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10

livafonsoApr 15, 2020

As said by lead actress Florence Pugh this film is a beautiful nightmare. Ari Aster in my opinion took a step up from Hereditary. The film has so many important themes, and everything about it is amazing. The cinematography and set design isAs said by lead actress Florence Pugh this film is a beautiful nightmare. Ari Aster in my opinion took a step up from Hereditary. The film has so many important themes, and everything about it is amazing. The cinematography and set design is amazingly beautiful. The score is also amazing and really adds to the film. The character Dani goes through a lot in this film and she wouldn't have been able to have been such a strong character without the amazing performance of Florence Pugh. The film also was surprisingly funny thanks mainly to Will Poulter's character. This is defiantly one of the best horror films of the year. Also watch the directors cut because it is even better than the original film. It adds so many plot points that could have made the story even greater.… Expand

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9

JordanLaytonApr 28, 2020

I can say one thing for sure. If you like movies that challenge you and send you home with something to think about it and talk about with friends, definitely go see this. If you like film in general, go see it because the conversation aroundI can say one thing for sure. If you like movies that challenge you and send you home with something to think about it and talk about with friends, definitely go see this. If you like film in general, go see it because the conversation around this movie is an interesting one. Its rare that a movie comes out that can spawn as much curiosity as I've already seen this one do. This movie makes Hereditary look easy regarding how much it asks the audience to go through, in terms of pacing and imagery.… Expand

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6

Real_g22Jun 4, 2020

Excelentes efectos especiales. La historia muy lenta y aburrida aunque en ocasiones muy interesante.
En general un filme muy buen editado con actuaciones aceptables.

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9

CriticoP3Jun 16, 2020

Una película más dirigida dentro del género del drama que de terror. El director entrega un giro fresco y argumental a lo que estamos acostumbrados a ver dentro del género. Con personajes que exploran las relaciones abusivas y el miedo aUna película más dirigida dentro del género del drama que de terror. El director entrega un giro fresco y argumental a lo que estamos acostumbrados a ver dentro del género. Con personajes que exploran las relaciones abusivas y el miedo a estar solo. Un gran concepto que merece ser visto desde distintos puntos de vistas para terminar de comprender el desenlace. PUNTAJE: 80/100 -CríticoP3… Expand

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