Dir. Ari Aster | Now Streaming On: Hulu | Rating: 4/5

I put off writing this for so long, because I know nobody will be happy with this opinion. Call it serendipitous, but I’ve had a few run-ins with Midsommar over the last month. In addition to Litha happening last week, I had the chance to review this film with my friends at Horror Movie Weekly and rewatch it at a Pride Month screening at the Peabody Essex Museum. So by the will of the universe, here is my review of Midsommar. 

Despite my public disdain for both A24 and Ari Aster, I didn’t hate Midsommar at all. I feel that this film embodies all of the good qualities of contemporary art house, for better or worse. As characteristic of A24, this film is stunning visually. It takes the “horror in the daylight” trope to a whole new level, as we watch atrocities unravel during the season of the midnight sun. 

At its core, Midsommar is a story of grief and belonging. We watch Dani cope with a devastating loss and appease those around her to avoid being considered “too much.” Throughout the course of the holiday, we see her find herself a home in Harga, in all of the worst ways. Florence Pugh is a standout in this role, and this will always cement her as a contemporary horror icon. She brings an innately human appeal to Dani, one that the viewer can relate to and empathize with. When everything is taken from you, how far will you go to feel at home again?

Aster’s trademark body horror is more toned down, purposeful, and palatable in Midsommar in comparison to Hereditary. Though still both gruesome and realistic, it follows through on the cultural aspects of the fictional “Harga,” instead of being for merely shock value alone. The opening shots of the death of Dani’s family are some that will always stick with me, for their viscerally uncomfortable nature. 

Midsommar misses for me in its runtime, comedic relief, and lack of diversity. This film tries to appeal to an acid trip vibe, with an ambling and bloated runtime. You don’t get an A+ for the longest paper, Ari, just a correct one. Though the comedic relief did take off the nauseating “fake deep” edge that Hereditary couldn’t shake, Will Poulter’s delivery is subpar at best. There are also a few offbeat comments on eugenics, and whether it’s fair to portray Nordic paganism in this light, especially in the 21st century. There is commentary on whether this is a white supremecist narrative, and I will admit I don’t know enough to comment on that too critically, but from my perspective there isn’t anything outlandishly bigoted about this, other than the fact it’s lacking diversity in its cast. 

Write this one down in the history books – though I don’t enjoy Aster’s public image or agree with his views on the genre, Midsommar is a good film. Listen to Projectile Varmint speak more eloquently than I can on grief in this film, while I try to convince Jay of the Dead why we need to put more men in bears, on the next episode of Horror Movie Weekly. 

Know Before You Watch: Features graphic depictions of suicide, death, gore, nudity, sex, frequent drug use.