Since I'm swedish I found this really funny and absurd, the wierd traditions were obviously inspired from The Wickerman more than the actual swedish tradition, Midsommar. I'm also really glad I watched it in my home and not at the cinema with other people, because there were scenes I laughed at and I didn't want to laugh at scenes with others, becuase it wasn't really funny. I coudn't help laughing, but at the same time feel really uncomfortable. I enjoyed this movie a lot, every scene made me intrigued and dumbfounded. Sry about the spelling and what not, first rating an all.
4,026 Reviews
This movie was a trip
palistineroyal6 July 2019
I'm not sure how but the movie had me on edge the entire time. You have to enjoy cinematography to really enjoy this. I left the movie like I just came down from a high. The whole thing felt like a bad trip afterwards, I was pleased and not at the same time but I think that's how we're meant to feel. It's a good change from super hero movies and terribly made horror movies.
How can something so f-ed up be so beautiful
manuel_medeiros27 April 2020
It is worth saying upfront that MidSommar should be a very divisive movie. If you tend to watch mostly popular movies or standard horror films, Midsommar is not for you.
Which explains the amount of 1 out of 10 reviews here on IMDb, despite an overall 7.1 rating.
But if you don't mind a slow building narrative with tension, innovative cinematography and plenty of look-away gore, then you might be able to appreciate just how unique Midsommar really is.
Briefly - MidSommar shows us a group of friends going on what seems like an idyllic trip to the Midsummer festival in a village in Northern Sweden. But that quickly turns into a harrowing display of Pagan rituals and ceremonies.
The movie is long because it's not afraid to take its time explaining the background of the characters (the group of friends and particularly the young woman in which it focuses). So from the start you can feel that this will be a different experience from most horror films.
But the movie really takes off once they arrive in Sweden. And it goes a long way to explain why Ari Aster is being so buzzed as a new director. Some of the shots shown are, at least in my book, completely outside the norm. And early on help you involve in the world of the film, and in the experience of the main characters.
In the terms of cinematography, it is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. And that becomes an even more impressive achievement because of its contrast with the horrid gore images displayed throughout the movie.
The grass's green, the floral arrangements, the group dances, everything really paints a picturesque image of the Midsommar festivities. Despite all the unexpected events the characters are witnessing, that sense is kept all throughout 2h30 of film.
All of the imagery helped me, as a viewer, to truly feel in the perspective of the characters. Walking into the festival, hopeful, experience the shock of everything that happens in front of them.
I felt I too went on that trip with the characters, and I was shocked again and again together with them. It stuck with me for hours on end after watching. Which is one the best complements I can make to the work of a director in my view.
Truly recommended it if you are up to watching a different yet aesthetically beautiful piece of cinema.
But if you don't mind a slow building narrative with tension, innovative cinematography and plenty of look-away gore, then you might be able to appreciate just how unique Midsommar really is.
Briefly - MidSommar shows us a group of friends going on what seems like an idyllic trip to the Midsummer festival in a village in Northern Sweden. But that quickly turns into a harrowing display of Pagan rituals and ceremonies.
The movie is long because it's not afraid to take its time explaining the background of the characters (the group of friends and particularly the young woman in which it focuses). So from the start you can feel that this will be a different experience from most horror films.
But the movie really takes off once they arrive in Sweden. And it goes a long way to explain why Ari Aster is being so buzzed as a new director. Some of the shots shown are, at least in my book, completely outside the norm. And early on help you involve in the world of the film, and in the experience of the main characters.
In the terms of cinematography, it is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. And that becomes an even more impressive achievement because of its contrast with the horrid gore images displayed throughout the movie.
The grass's green, the floral arrangements, the group dances, everything really paints a picturesque image of the Midsommar festivities. Despite all the unexpected events the characters are witnessing, that sense is kept all throughout 2h30 of film.
All of the imagery helped me, as a viewer, to truly feel in the perspective of the characters. Walking into the festival, hopeful, experience the shock of everything that happens in front of them.
I felt I too went on that trip with the characters, and I was shocked again and again together with them. It stuck with me for hours on end after watching. Which is one the best complements I can make to the work of a director in my view.
Truly recommended it if you are up to watching a different yet aesthetically beautiful piece of cinema.
Too weird for me...
imseeg29 May 2022
This is really weird stuff. Not real horror, but more of a psychological mindbender.
The bad: it doesnt really get scary or thrilling. It gets weird allright.
The good: decent acting in a incredibly weird mindbending script.
Not suited for casual viewers.
The bad: it doesnt really get scary or thrilling. It gets weird allright.
The good: decent acting in a incredibly weird mindbending script.
Not suited for casual viewers.
Traumatic, Surreal, Bizarre Masterpiece
Icecreambenjaminelliott4 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I'll start this off with a warning. If you're a mainstream horror fan, you will not like this. It is not The Conjuring, it does not have jump scares, it is a slow movie. It's not scary in the way that most horror films are scary. It doesn't frighten you. It felt traumatic. This is an artsy movie for sure. If you don't like that, don't see it.
Florence Pugh is absolutely phenomenal. She provides the heart for the film and is what keeps the audience emotionally invensted in such a disturbing film. It's one of the greatest horror performances that I have ever seen.
The cinematography is stunningly gorgeous. I've never seen a film look so gory and grotesque and yet absolutely beatiful at the same time. It's some of the best cinematography that I've seen in years. The art direction is also phenomenal in providing us with a floral, candy colored, nightmare world.
And Ari Aster's screenplay and direction is what makes this so special and separates it from other horror pieces. It's slow, methodical, eerie. But the characters are psychological and deep. The dialogue is real and colorful. The plot is surreal and disturbing. He let's the scares crawl at you as opposed to jump at you. He allows you to see what will happen, process it, feel the shock of what's about to happen, and then still shock you even more when it happens.
This film will be divisive. I have no doubt that many people here will hate this. However, while this is a challenging film, it's also a great film. Halfway through a character says something along the lines of "That was so messed up, but I'm trying to keep an open mind." I suggest that audiences take this advice.
PSA, this movie is extremely violent, bloody, and gory. It's pretty horrifying and it could have stuff that is triggering.
Florence Pugh is absolutely phenomenal. She provides the heart for the film and is what keeps the audience emotionally invensted in such a disturbing film. It's one of the greatest horror performances that I have ever seen.
The cinematography is stunningly gorgeous. I've never seen a film look so gory and grotesque and yet absolutely beatiful at the same time. It's some of the best cinematography that I've seen in years. The art direction is also phenomenal in providing us with a floral, candy colored, nightmare world.
And Ari Aster's screenplay and direction is what makes this so special and separates it from other horror pieces. It's slow, methodical, eerie. But the characters are psychological and deep. The dialogue is real and colorful. The plot is surreal and disturbing. He let's the scares crawl at you as opposed to jump at you. He allows you to see what will happen, process it, feel the shock of what's about to happen, and then still shock you even more when it happens.
This film will be divisive. I have no doubt that many people here will hate this. However, while this is a challenging film, it's also a great film. Halfway through a character says something along the lines of "That was so messed up, but I'm trying to keep an open mind." I suggest that audiences take this advice.
PSA, this movie is extremely violent, bloody, and gory. It's pretty horrifying and it could have stuff that is triggering.
Meh
rivertam263 July 2019
Gorgeous visuals, creative cinematography and solid performances but the movie feels long winded and disconnected. The characters are underdeveloped and the plot is a little all over the place. The movie does however manage to be intentionally funny at times but not scary or very disturbing.
A surreal, but pretty awesome trip.
Sleepin_Dragon13 August 2019
Be first thing I wanted to do after leaving the cinema, was to discover what the swedish thought of this film, in general they saw it with humour, and an open mind, as I expected.
It's pretty much split right down the middle, first half, dare I say it, normality, drama, with a heavy focus on grief, and the harsh way it can affect someone, particularly if there's trauma involved. The second half is very trippy, and we delve into the world of pagan ritual and bizarre rights, which makes The Whicker Man look like a tea party.
The main leads, Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, were terrific. Pugh had impressed previously in The Little Drummer Girl, it was obvious she was destined for big things, she played Dani with a real sense of torment, very impressive. The cast had a realism, it was refreshing not to watch a cast that look set for a Dior catwalk.
It won't be for everyone, and I must point out that some scenes are painfully long, needlessly. Some amazing special effects.
Violence and nudity, but neither are gratuitous or simply for shock. A few laughs, several times the cinema erupted in laughter.
Very good. 8/10
It's pretty much split right down the middle, first half, dare I say it, normality, drama, with a heavy focus on grief, and the harsh way it can affect someone, particularly if there's trauma involved. The second half is very trippy, and we delve into the world of pagan ritual and bizarre rights, which makes The Whicker Man look like a tea party.
The main leads, Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, were terrific. Pugh had impressed previously in The Little Drummer Girl, it was obvious she was destined for big things, she played Dani with a real sense of torment, very impressive. The cast had a realism, it was refreshing not to watch a cast that look set for a Dior catwalk.
It won't be for everyone, and I must point out that some scenes are painfully long, needlessly. Some amazing special effects.
Violence and nudity, but neither are gratuitous or simply for shock. A few laughs, several times the cinema erupted in laughter.
Very good. 8/10
Pros and Cons. You decide!
bilalgharib24 July 2019
Let me give objective pros and cons, and then I will present my personal opinion:
Pros:
1- Good story. Don't expect something original anyway.
2- Good ending, but it really depends how do you understand it.
3- Good cinematography.
4- Good acting specifically Florence Pugh.
5- Good building of tension and suspense.
Cons:
1- It is really too lengthy. Scenes pass too slowly. Expect to get bored several times in the movie.
2- Most of the time is wasted on marginal details, while the most important scenes are passed quickly.
3- Very stupid behaviors of some characters who are supposed to be smarter. This is frustrating in the movie.
4- A main character who can significantly enrich the movie died early. This makes most of the remaining of the movie revolve about poor repetitive ideas.
Now my personal opinion. If the movie is shortened to only 90 minutes, and postpones the first dying character to the end scenes, I can rate this movie easily with 8 or 9 points. But getting bored several times in the movie with a lot of repetitive ideas, this will decrease my rating to 5.
Pros:
1- Good story. Don't expect something original anyway.
2- Good ending, but it really depends how do you understand it.
3- Good cinematography.
4- Good acting specifically Florence Pugh.
5- Good building of tension and suspense.
Cons:
1- It is really too lengthy. Scenes pass too slowly. Expect to get bored several times in the movie.
2- Most of the time is wasted on marginal details, while the most important scenes are passed quickly.
3- Very stupid behaviors of some characters who are supposed to be smarter. This is frustrating in the movie.
4- A main character who can significantly enrich the movie died early. This makes most of the remaining of the movie revolve about poor repetitive ideas.
Now my personal opinion. If the movie is shortened to only 90 minutes, and postpones the first dying character to the end scenes, I can rate this movie easily with 8 or 9 points. But getting bored several times in the movie with a lot of repetitive ideas, this will decrease my rating to 5.
An Operatic Catharsis On Emotional Dependency
Lepidopterous_10 July 2019
"I have always felt held. By a family... a real family. Do you feel held?"
One of the most universal and innately human desires is a sense of belonging. The human brain is not meant to be alone; we are evolved to be a part of something. Belonging fundamentally allows us to form our own sense of identity, establish social connections through community, and provides us with love, attention, security, and purpose. Perhaps more importantly, a lack of belonging is when we begin to lose sense of ourselves and who we are. This loss of touch with who we are when the world around us suddenly disappears... this slight loss of footing, dip in reality, always feeling somewhat displaced and perpetually unsettled... this encapsulates the mood of Ari Aster's Midsommar.
Aster has delivered a psychedelic genre-defying horror fable that wins its audience by creeping into our darkest corners of angst, longing, and loneliness. At its core, the film is about a young woman who copes with crippling anxiety rooted in a desperate and fearful need for love as she comes to terms with the end of a relationship. It's about anxiety, fear of abandonment, and moving on. It is a meditation on human belonging; an operatic catharsis played on the strings of emotional dependency; a journey both inward and outward, to finally let go of something that was never meant to be.
Midsommar is not a mystery or suspense movie. It unveils itself unapologetically, as if the filmmaker has no intention of hiding anything from us in the first place (the entire movie is visually depicted almost constantly in the background on walls or tapestries). Yet the film establishes its own rhythm and pacing. As the characters embark on a mushroom trip and grow weightless and spacey, so do we get entranced by the beautiful Swedish settings and sounds--at times indistinguishable from flutes being played by characters on-screen, and at other times, woven with a spell-binding aural hypnosis (listen to "Attestupan" without falling into a meditative trip).
Like Hereditary before it, the casting is exceptional. Florence Pugh portrays and embodies isolation and anxiety so effectively that the ideas feel nearly concrete. Her part as Dani demands an incredible range and her commitment to the role is apparent. Her character has an air of desperation to her. A perfect casting for a lonely soul. Jack Reynor, a critical piece to this opera as the unlikeable and detached boyfriend, also delivers in a solid performance that leaves us conflicted, or at the very least, challenged.
If Satan and Cannibal Corpse got together to shoot Blue Valentine in Sweden, I'd imagine it would be something like Midsommar. Aster taps into a dark and vulnerable place--he opens the door to chests you may have locked away and have had no intention of coming back to. If you've gone through a break-up recently, it may resonate even stronger. It's uncomfortable, unpleasant, but ultimately, cathartic.
The director goes on to describe the film as almost a perverse wish-fulfillment fantasy. You see what you want to see. The inclusion of this overarching idea bears a universal relevance to how we can behave in the midst of the most toxic relationships. Entering the ethereal fog of Hårga perhaps a metaphor for willfully indulging in our clouded judgment to escape our fears.
If Hereditary was a thematic exploration of inescapable fate, Midsommar is a tighter, more centered thematic reflection on emotional dependence. The thought given to the characters and script and the details within the various shots, symbols, and sounds will all surely leave many viewers coming back for more.
Plan to watch it twice, if for nothing else, to drink the tea again.
One of the most universal and innately human desires is a sense of belonging. The human brain is not meant to be alone; we are evolved to be a part of something. Belonging fundamentally allows us to form our own sense of identity, establish social connections through community, and provides us with love, attention, security, and purpose. Perhaps more importantly, a lack of belonging is when we begin to lose sense of ourselves and who we are. This loss of touch with who we are when the world around us suddenly disappears... this slight loss of footing, dip in reality, always feeling somewhat displaced and perpetually unsettled... this encapsulates the mood of Ari Aster's Midsommar.
Aster has delivered a psychedelic genre-defying horror fable that wins its audience by creeping into our darkest corners of angst, longing, and loneliness. At its core, the film is about a young woman who copes with crippling anxiety rooted in a desperate and fearful need for love as she comes to terms with the end of a relationship. It's about anxiety, fear of abandonment, and moving on. It is a meditation on human belonging; an operatic catharsis played on the strings of emotional dependency; a journey both inward and outward, to finally let go of something that was never meant to be.
Midsommar is not a mystery or suspense movie. It unveils itself unapologetically, as if the filmmaker has no intention of hiding anything from us in the first place (the entire movie is visually depicted almost constantly in the background on walls or tapestries). Yet the film establishes its own rhythm and pacing. As the characters embark on a mushroom trip and grow weightless and spacey, so do we get entranced by the beautiful Swedish settings and sounds--at times indistinguishable from flutes being played by characters on-screen, and at other times, woven with a spell-binding aural hypnosis (listen to "Attestupan" without falling into a meditative trip).
Like Hereditary before it, the casting is exceptional. Florence Pugh portrays and embodies isolation and anxiety so effectively that the ideas feel nearly concrete. Her part as Dani demands an incredible range and her commitment to the role is apparent. Her character has an air of desperation to her. A perfect casting for a lonely soul. Jack Reynor, a critical piece to this opera as the unlikeable and detached boyfriend, also delivers in a solid performance that leaves us conflicted, or at the very least, challenged.
If Satan and Cannibal Corpse got together to shoot Blue Valentine in Sweden, I'd imagine it would be something like Midsommar. Aster taps into a dark and vulnerable place--he opens the door to chests you may have locked away and have had no intention of coming back to. If you've gone through a break-up recently, it may resonate even stronger. It's uncomfortable, unpleasant, but ultimately, cathartic.
The director goes on to describe the film as almost a perverse wish-fulfillment fantasy. You see what you want to see. The inclusion of this overarching idea bears a universal relevance to how we can behave in the midst of the most toxic relationships. Entering the ethereal fog of Hårga perhaps a metaphor for willfully indulging in our clouded judgment to escape our fears.
If Hereditary was a thematic exploration of inescapable fate, Midsommar is a tighter, more centered thematic reflection on emotional dependence. The thought given to the characters and script and the details within the various shots, symbols, and sounds will all surely leave many viewers coming back for more.
Plan to watch it twice, if for nothing else, to drink the tea again.
A Mesmerizing and Gorgeous 140 min Slow Burn Behemoth
Yee_Reviews4 July 2019
Good: Hands down the production and cinematography are amazing and truly comes to life over the course of the film to emphasize the film's purpose/themes. The cast overall is great, each one playing their role respectively whether it is an outsider or a cult member, especially Florence Pugh who goes through a lot over the course of the film.
Bad: The film moves relatively at a great pace until near the 3rd act and then takes its time to craft its ending and at times dragged and started to get stale. There are so many clues/culture traditions learned through brief images of paintings and drawings in the community. Although this serves great for analysis and more viewings as a first watch it is a lot to comprehend and can be confusing near the end if you do not remember some of the drawings. It goes without saying that the characters do not make the smartest of decisions and there are quite a few horror cliches.
Overall: The film triumphs in creating a beautiful yet disturbing atmosphere in broad daylight. There are powerful performances filled with emotions. However, the run-time goes a little past its run time and an ending that was not the most satisfying. Although I'll be back for more viewings to see the easter eggs and hidden clues, I personally prefer "Hereditary" over this one.
3.5/5
*Pro-Tip look at the painting/drawings from right to left *I strongly do not recommend this to children, 18+ mainly because of the slow-burn and material.
Bad: The film moves relatively at a great pace until near the 3rd act and then takes its time to craft its ending and at times dragged and started to get stale. There are so many clues/culture traditions learned through brief images of paintings and drawings in the community. Although this serves great for analysis and more viewings as a first watch it is a lot to comprehend and can be confusing near the end if you do not remember some of the drawings. It goes without saying that the characters do not make the smartest of decisions and there are quite a few horror cliches.
Overall: The film triumphs in creating a beautiful yet disturbing atmosphere in broad daylight. There are powerful performances filled with emotions. However, the run-time goes a little past its run time and an ending that was not the most satisfying. Although I'll be back for more viewings to see the easter eggs and hidden clues, I personally prefer "Hereditary" over this one.
3.5/5
*Pro-Tip look at the painting/drawings from right to left *I strongly do not recommend this to children, 18+ mainly because of the slow-burn and material.
Not for everyone
schuelererik31 May 2020
Let me first say, this is not a "bad" movie. It utilizes creative camera work and cinematography to add to the narrative. But I personally still didn't like it. Its main goal in my opinion is to disturb the viewer as much as possible through the use of sound, gory visuals and the feeling of isolation and insanity. While I can see how this can speak to a certain audience, it didn't appeal to me and made me want to turn of the movie quite a few times. If you are into these kinds of films, definitely give this a try but if you, like me, enjoy being scared by a horror movie instead of weirded out and disturbed, this might not be for you.
Probably going to kill Sweden's tourism industry.
FelixisaJerk17 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Midsommar
Century 16 Theater
Watched 7/16/19
Horror is my favorite genre to see done right, because it's so rarely done right. Director and writer Ari Aster had something very special with his first film Hereditary. Perhaps the film most recommended to me in the last few years. I have yet to see it, but after last night's screening of his 2nd and newest feature: Midsommar; I made immediate plans to rectify that.
It's easy to just say a group of friends travel to Europe to write their college thesis on European pagan traditions but that would be a disservice to the early story Aster creates. I want to keep the plot description mum, but the early parts of this film are stricken with grief, angst, and some of the most realistic portrayals of gaslighting I've seen on film. These are the emotional bricks the story is constructed on. I never found myself waiting for them to just hurry up and go to Europe because the story is so effectively written and performed.
Once they arrive to the small Swedish commune, the entire story starts shifting into something else entirely. We just get a feeling in our gut, all these smiling white people. Their all white garb, white teeth, white hair. It's an uneasy amount of white and cleanliness, positioned on gorgeous green hills speckled with bright blue, red, pink and purple flowers. Aster's use of color brilliantly fills the screen. It's a rather unsettling feeling: all this natural beauty and we can't take comfort in any of it.
When we learn about the Midsommar festivities planned it seems like a big party for the students, we in the audience see the madness through the flowers. Things get turned to 11 quickly. We see people jumping to their deaths from towering cliffs, faces get smashed with hammers, faces get cutoff and worn as masks, menstrual blood consumed, incredibly graphic, brutal violence.
Tonally it's a trip because there is also so much humor injected into the script. Mainly the joke of the kids freaking out and their smiling, white (oh so white) hosts calming them down; assuring them that this is all merely tradition. Smashing someone's head open with a large mallet is simply setting their willing soul free, it's not a big deal. You see? He likes getting his brains bashed in! It beats growing old in a nursing home! The things these kids get put through are wonderfully dreadful.
Midsommar is a splendid display of young talent. Florence Pugh's portrayal of Dani is incredible. Her expressions are mesmerizing, she conveys so much emotion with her face. I felt a little less compelled by her boyfriend Christian played by Jack Reynor. We're very clearly not supposed to like his character, but I didn't like him due to his performance. It felt stiff and at times a little forced. Physically he was perfect for the role, but his delivery and timing left me feeling sort of...meh. Luckily the writing is so strong I never get too caught up in that. Even if one performance feels a little less compelling, the important part is the gang of young friends' performances and personalities work as a whole.
Aster's ability to pace a 2-and-a-half-hour film and make it feel short is the genius. Every single scene feels important, there are so many details and carefully crafted instances of foreshadowing. Not heavy handed, but deft and nerve racking. In a time where attention spans are shrinking it's rewarding and refreshing to see a film not only take it's time but to do so in a way that makes the film work even better. It's not self-indulgent, it's vulnerable and enticing. I want to see this one again just to see exactly what he sets up earlier in the film. Midsommar is upsetting, grotesque, beautiful and humorous all at once. It's a great horror film and being as though it's only Aster's 2nd feature, the next step in his career is an exciting thought.
Horror is my favorite genre to see done right, because it's so rarely done right. Director and writer Ari Aster had something very special with his first film Hereditary. Perhaps the film most recommended to me in the last few years. I have yet to see it, but after last night's screening of his 2nd and newest feature: Midsommar; I made immediate plans to rectify that.
It's easy to just say a group of friends travel to Europe to write their college thesis on European pagan traditions but that would be a disservice to the early story Aster creates. I want to keep the plot description mum, but the early parts of this film are stricken with grief, angst, and some of the most realistic portrayals of gaslighting I've seen on film. These are the emotional bricks the story is constructed on. I never found myself waiting for them to just hurry up and go to Europe because the story is so effectively written and performed.
Once they arrive to the small Swedish commune, the entire story starts shifting into something else entirely. We just get a feeling in our gut, all these smiling white people. Their all white garb, white teeth, white hair. It's an uneasy amount of white and cleanliness, positioned on gorgeous green hills speckled with bright blue, red, pink and purple flowers. Aster's use of color brilliantly fills the screen. It's a rather unsettling feeling: all this natural beauty and we can't take comfort in any of it.
When we learn about the Midsommar festivities planned it seems like a big party for the students, we in the audience see the madness through the flowers. Things get turned to 11 quickly. We see people jumping to their deaths from towering cliffs, faces get smashed with hammers, faces get cutoff and worn as masks, menstrual blood consumed, incredibly graphic, brutal violence.
Tonally it's a trip because there is also so much humor injected into the script. Mainly the joke of the kids freaking out and their smiling, white (oh so white) hosts calming them down; assuring them that this is all merely tradition. Smashing someone's head open with a large mallet is simply setting their willing soul free, it's not a big deal. You see? He likes getting his brains bashed in! It beats growing old in a nursing home! The things these kids get put through are wonderfully dreadful.
Midsommar is a splendid display of young talent. Florence Pugh's portrayal of Dani is incredible. Her expressions are mesmerizing, she conveys so much emotion with her face. I felt a little less compelled by her boyfriend Christian played by Jack Reynor. We're very clearly not supposed to like his character, but I didn't like him due to his performance. It felt stiff and at times a little forced. Physically he was perfect for the role, but his delivery and timing left me feeling sort of...meh. Luckily the writing is so strong I never get too caught up in that. Even if one performance feels a little less compelling, the important part is the gang of young friends' performances and personalities work as a whole.
Aster's ability to pace a 2-and-a-half-hour film and make it feel short is the genius. Every single scene feels important, there are so many details and carefully crafted instances of foreshadowing. Not heavy handed, but deft and nerve racking. In a time where attention spans are shrinking it's rewarding and refreshing to see a film not only take it's time but to do so in a way that makes the film work even better. It's not self-indulgent, it's vulnerable and enticing. I want to see this one again just to see exactly what he sets up earlier in the film. Midsommar is upsetting, grotesque, beautiful and humorous all at once. It's a great horror film and being as though it's only Aster's 2nd feature, the next step in his career is an exciting thought.
Two words.... pube juice
henrymoorby25 July 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Biggest complaint about the film was that at some points where the film is meant to be building more and more tension they make silly decisions such as putting comedy style scenarios in there, an American having a pee on a religious tree is not something I would think to happen in a horror, it was quite funny honestly. The cinema was laughing at the climax of the filming with the whole pushing the guys bumcheeks, I don't understand how anyone would not find it funny, the man was drugged up and looked like he had no idea was going on. That drew right out of the film and just made me question whether the director actually wanted me to take it seriously
Meandering is right
Leofwine_draca15 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
MIDSOMMAR is the latest film from arthouse director Ari Aster, whose HEREDITARY wowed audiences a few years ago. While I liked that film I didn't love it, but I do love folk horror and THE WICKER MAN so I expected a lot from this one. Sadly, I didn't get it. MIDSOMMAR is a real mixed bag of a movie, with a decent first half. Florence Pugh gives a fine performance and the opening sequence is particularly powerful, getting off to a good footing. The slow-burning suspense works effectively until the genuine shocks of the 'cliff' sequence, but after this things really stop working. There's the usual sex and violent content, but it all feels very meandering and dragged out, saddled with unlikeable characters and a genuine lack of meaning and narrative cohesion. The cinematography is great and the actors certainly do their best, but by the end I felt this had become predictable, random (Viking execution methods for shock value, etc.) and a bit like a boring slasher film.
'You can check out any time you like, But you can never leave!' (Hotel California)
TxMike4 December 2019
I watched this at home on BluRay from my public library, not my wife's type of movie.
This was made by the same writer/director that brought us "Hereditary" a year earlier, I like this one much more. It is confusing much of the time but when it is all over you realize it is a fable of sorts for the lead character, Dani, to come to some resolution from the loss of her family and coming to terms with her dud of a boyfriend.
Look up the entire lyrics of 'Hotel California' by The Eagles, with this movie in mind you can find many parallels.
I already was a Florence Pugh fan from her roles in Lady MacBeth (2016) and Fighting With My Family (2019). Here she is Dani who tragically loses her sister and parents, in grief accompanies her boyfriend and three other guys to Sweden in late June to witness, and ultimately participate in, a ritualistic Pagan festival. But it also goes deeper, to the core of the group's beliefs. By the end Dani achieves resolution, the other four are not so fortunate.
This is a really strange movie once they get to Sweden, there is very explicit and gory violence, there is a big non-erotic sex scene with a number of nude characters. Everything is designed to shock the senses of the viewer. I would not like to see movies like this on a regular basis but as a one-off experience I found it a totally worthwhile 2 1/2 hours.
This was made by the same writer/director that brought us "Hereditary" a year earlier, I like this one much more. It is confusing much of the time but when it is all over you realize it is a fable of sorts for the lead character, Dani, to come to some resolution from the loss of her family and coming to terms with her dud of a boyfriend.
Look up the entire lyrics of 'Hotel California' by The Eagles, with this movie in mind you can find many parallels.
I already was a Florence Pugh fan from her roles in Lady MacBeth (2016) and Fighting With My Family (2019). Here she is Dani who tragically loses her sister and parents, in grief accompanies her boyfriend and three other guys to Sweden in late June to witness, and ultimately participate in, a ritualistic Pagan festival. But it also goes deeper, to the core of the group's beliefs. By the end Dani achieves resolution, the other four are not so fortunate.
This is a really strange movie once they get to Sweden, there is very explicit and gory violence, there is a big non-erotic sex scene with a number of nude characters. Everything is designed to shock the senses of the viewer. I would not like to see movies like this on a regular basis but as a one-off experience I found it a totally worthwhile 2 1/2 hours.
Deserves it
fourstecker14 December 2019
Weird and sometimes scary in the scandinavian midnight sun
rehams22 December 2023
This was a weird, but entertaining horror flick, that popped up on my danish TV app.
As a dane, and thus a real life neighbor to the swedish settting in the film, it was quite entertaining to watch this Hollywood take on Midsommar, that pagan leftover in swedish culture, something that we danes no longer celebrate.
The film is quite uneven and requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. Some scenes and traditions of the Hågra are too random to not have set off our protagonists in real life.
Said protagonists are paper thin in the film, it's all about the Hågra and the setting.
I will say this film is interesting from a scandinavian perspective, because it features a lot of swedish actors and a lot of blonde people. This still being normal here, particularly in places like rural Sweden.
However, from an american point of view, that is increasingly diverse, I can see how this "land of the blondes" might seem very foreign. I found this reverse exocitism interesting to think about.
Overall, I found the movie unnerving in parts, humorous in others. Well worth a watch.
As a dane, and thus a real life neighbor to the swedish settting in the film, it was quite entertaining to watch this Hollywood take on Midsommar, that pagan leftover in swedish culture, something that we danes no longer celebrate.
The film is quite uneven and requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief. Some scenes and traditions of the Hågra are too random to not have set off our protagonists in real life.
Said protagonists are paper thin in the film, it's all about the Hågra and the setting.
I will say this film is interesting from a scandinavian perspective, because it features a lot of swedish actors and a lot of blonde people. This still being normal here, particularly in places like rural Sweden.
However, from an american point of view, that is increasingly diverse, I can see how this "land of the blondes" might seem very foreign. I found this reverse exocitism interesting to think about.
Overall, I found the movie unnerving in parts, humorous in others. Well worth a watch.
Bizarre but Great
mattdemarre-001823 July 2019
When too much is too little
ollie133720 August 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I'm all for not overexplaining things to the audience - but this movie just felt like they sat down and went "okay so come up with crazy stuff you might see in a isolated cult!". Also the fact that the friend group felt so separated and not really caring about eachother + making strange decision over and over made it hard to feel for anyone - ultimately not caring what happened to them in the end and during.
I would have prefered it if they had a more gradual suspence in the story and maybe not starting their stay immidiately with super odd stuff and 2 people jumping of a cliff.
Interesting concept and stunning cinematography, many of the actors performances are amazing and on point, however so many things were lacking and overall it just felt flat and... strange (in a bad way). If you expected hereditary 2 - this ain't it, Midsommar is not a horror film even tho the trailer kind of makes it look that way.
It just kind of felt like they wanted to make it odd just to make it odd.
I would have prefered it if they had a more gradual suspence in the story and maybe not starting their stay immidiately with super odd stuff and 2 people jumping of a cliff.
Interesting concept and stunning cinematography, many of the actors performances are amazing and on point, however so many things were lacking and overall it just felt flat and... strange (in a bad way). If you expected hereditary 2 - this ain't it, Midsommar is not a horror film even tho the trailer kind of makes it look that way.
It just kind of felt like they wanted to make it odd just to make it odd.
This movie IS a horror!
dmr14019 November 2019
Don't believe the one star ratings. This isn't a movie for the average audience. It's a slow burn horror that gets under your skin but you'll have to pay attention. The acting, directing, music, writing, location, it's all really good. It disturbs and confuses. If you like these kind of movies, this is the one to watch. I'm also a fan of movies like The Witch and I'm really hoping for more to come within this dark sub genre, even though most scenes are in broad daylight. Be warned, this one sticks to you for a while...
Ambitious but Overlong
sportsnut-669354 July 2019
First off, anyone who planned to see this movie
should go in with an open mind. It's a movie going experience that is very difficult to describe. Ari Aster film delivers on being very disturbing and gruesome but suffers from major pacing issues.
The good: the cinematography, acting, colors and music are nearly flawless. It is one of the most technically stunning films you will see. The music makes the film all the more unsettling at times and the camera shots can linger for so long it begins to make you nervous. The acting is solid specifically from Pugh. Will Poulter is funny at times and intentionally annoying as almost all his characters are. If you were expecting hereditary part 2, you may want to reconsider.
While this film just gets crazier and crazier as it goes, it can be hard to forget that this story is Dani's and that's where you will find what this movie is truly about. It's about an unstable relationship that decays and eventually explodes and forces a new cycle of self-discovery. You will probably need to read articles or watch videos on this movie when you come out like I did.
Now on to the issues. This movie is long. And I enjoy long movies. Hereditary was perfectly paced but there are numerous scenes in this movie that could be trimmed down or cut. People will say it adds to the movie as a whole but some don't. Also, there are supposed to be some genuinely unsettling scenes but almost everyone in the theater burst out laughing. Nudity can be a hard thing to take seriously when it's showed like this, but I understand that some pagan rituals actually do that, so i understand where it's coming from. While the climax is far from as unforgettable as hereditary, the story does come full circle and will leave you with an unsettling final shot.
Overall, Aster's sophomore film doesn't reach the heights of hereditary, but still provides much of what people loved about that movie. You will most likely walk out of the theater thinking wtf did I just watch, but that's the point. It's a film that requires multiple viewings and some research to truly appreciate. Go see it to form your own opinion though because this could end up being more divisive than hereditary.
The good: the cinematography, acting, colors and music are nearly flawless. It is one of the most technically stunning films you will see. The music makes the film all the more unsettling at times and the camera shots can linger for so long it begins to make you nervous. The acting is solid specifically from Pugh. Will Poulter is funny at times and intentionally annoying as almost all his characters are. If you were expecting hereditary part 2, you may want to reconsider.
While this film just gets crazier and crazier as it goes, it can be hard to forget that this story is Dani's and that's where you will find what this movie is truly about. It's about an unstable relationship that decays and eventually explodes and forces a new cycle of self-discovery. You will probably need to read articles or watch videos on this movie when you come out like I did.
Now on to the issues. This movie is long. And I enjoy long movies. Hereditary was perfectly paced but there are numerous scenes in this movie that could be trimmed down or cut. People will say it adds to the movie as a whole but some don't. Also, there are supposed to be some genuinely unsettling scenes but almost everyone in the theater burst out laughing. Nudity can be a hard thing to take seriously when it's showed like this, but I understand that some pagan rituals actually do that, so i understand where it's coming from. While the climax is far from as unforgettable as hereditary, the story does come full circle and will leave you with an unsettling final shot.
Overall, Aster's sophomore film doesn't reach the heights of hereditary, but still provides much of what people loved about that movie. You will most likely walk out of the theater thinking wtf did I just watch, but that's the point. It's a film that requires multiple viewings and some research to truly appreciate. Go see it to form your own opinion though because this could end up being more divisive than hereditary.
Midsommar murders.
BA_Harrison1 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Spurred on by his friends, anthropology student Christian (Jack Reynor) is on the verge of breaking up with his girlfriend Dani (Florence Pugh), but a family tragedy for Dani changes his mind. Feeling guilty about putting his girlfriend through further emotional trauma, Christian asks her to accompany him and his pals on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the remote ancestral village of their Swedish friend Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), who has invited them take part in the commune's nine-day midsummer festival.
Director Ari Aster (Hereditary) might claim that Midsommar only pays homage to brilliant UK folk horror The Wicker Man, but all I can see is a blatant, bloated and extremely tedious rip-off. Where The Wicker Man (Director's Cut) runs at a reasonable 99 minutes, its engrossing story whisking the viewer along as Edward Woodward's character attempts to solve a mystery on a remote Scottish island, Aster's film (The Director's Cut) takes a whopping 171 minutes to tell its very familiar tale of unwary outsiders falling foul of an strange religion that practises bizarre rituals.
Moving at a snail's pace, the first hour of Midsummar is a massive challenge for the viewer, as the students travel to the village of the Hårga, meet the locals, and take part in ancient rites which involve lots of chanting and taking of hallucinogens. Those who make it through this tedium will eventually be rewarded with a shocking scene that is the equivalent of Hereditary's decapitation (ie., it's designed to wake up the viewer and become a talking point): before the eyes of the horrified students, elders of the village throw themselves off a precipice, falling onto the rocks below with very messy results.
Anyone hoping that this will herald a turning point in the film will be sorely disappointed: the dull drama continues, with an excess of singing, dancing and a glut of aerial overhead shots, with hints of weirdness to indicate where the film is heading (as if we didn't know already). As Christian's friends go missing one-by-one, and the locals become increasingly weird in their behaviour, neither he nor Dani question the wisdom of remaining in the village, both continuing to partake in the commune's activities. A bit of ritualistic sex and the sight of a bloke with his lungs pulled out of his back are about the film's only other noteworthy moments before the whole boring mess finishes in inevitable fashion, stealing its fiery climax from... you guessed it.... The Wicker Man.
In short, what a load of (Swedish meat)balls! If you haven't already seen it, watch The Wicker Man first.
Director Ari Aster (Hereditary) might claim that Midsommar only pays homage to brilliant UK folk horror The Wicker Man, but all I can see is a blatant, bloated and extremely tedious rip-off. Where The Wicker Man (Director's Cut) runs at a reasonable 99 minutes, its engrossing story whisking the viewer along as Edward Woodward's character attempts to solve a mystery on a remote Scottish island, Aster's film (The Director's Cut) takes a whopping 171 minutes to tell its very familiar tale of unwary outsiders falling foul of an strange religion that practises bizarre rituals.
Moving at a snail's pace, the first hour of Midsummar is a massive challenge for the viewer, as the students travel to the village of the Hårga, meet the locals, and take part in ancient rites which involve lots of chanting and taking of hallucinogens. Those who make it through this tedium will eventually be rewarded with a shocking scene that is the equivalent of Hereditary's decapitation (ie., it's designed to wake up the viewer and become a talking point): before the eyes of the horrified students, elders of the village throw themselves off a precipice, falling onto the rocks below with very messy results.
Anyone hoping that this will herald a turning point in the film will be sorely disappointed: the dull drama continues, with an excess of singing, dancing and a glut of aerial overhead shots, with hints of weirdness to indicate where the film is heading (as if we didn't know already). As Christian's friends go missing one-by-one, and the locals become increasingly weird in their behaviour, neither he nor Dani question the wisdom of remaining in the village, both continuing to partake in the commune's activities. A bit of ritualistic sex and the sight of a bloke with his lungs pulled out of his back are about the film's only other noteworthy moments before the whole boring mess finishes in inevitable fashion, stealing its fiery climax from... you guessed it.... The Wicker Man.
In short, what a load of (Swedish meat)balls! If you haven't already seen it, watch The Wicker Man first.
Summer time
kosmasp24 July 2020
Let's get right into it. The movie will divide viewers. Actually some might not even read what I'm typing right now, dismissing or liking my review just based on the score I gave it. I'm not complaining or trying to get your attention. I gave this a 10/10, something that many would consider sacred (like how some people view trees or other things). But I think the movie deserves it. And while I watched the theatrical version in cinemas, I did watch the Directors Cut the other day too to get a complete picture - no pun intended.
Now I know that pacing will be an issue for some - this takes its time and those expecting horror or their version of horror, will have quite a few issues with the movie. Especially in the long version (almost 3 hours). But the framing, the pictures you get are worth it. I would argue that if you ask Ari, why he chose that or this angle, why he lingered on that shot, why he used special effects that are subtle and almost not unnoticeable ... he will be able to answer them. He probably won't, letting you decipher and decide what you just watched, but he had a plan. He really knows his stuff.
Now that doesn't mean that you will like the movie. Just because it is made with love and care and attention to every detail, does not make it invincible. It is a taste thing - what do you like to watch in movies. Subtle horror, that is also a drama? Nods to classics like Wicker Man? Will you hate this because to heighten things it takes creative liberty? I don't know if the sun thing (allegedly some claim it is positioned wrong geographically) is a mistake or actually another detail, to make this even more eerie. The costumes may not be traditional, but what the village people do, hopefully isn't traditional either ... if you get hung up on those things, you would be missing the bigger picture. This is not here to critisize or make fun of swedish traditions. This is here to entertain and to hold the viewers suspense - edge of the seat kind of stuff.
So yes this isn't your regular horror movie and it is better for it. And while there is not much violence in it (on screen), the occasional outbursts are really spiking! This is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended ... be aware and have the strong stomach to get through it. This is beautiful and horrifying at the same time and really demands to be seen many times - every time you do, you will discover something new! And with that accidental rhyme, I'll say give this movie your dime
Now I know that pacing will be an issue for some - this takes its time and those expecting horror or their version of horror, will have quite a few issues with the movie. Especially in the long version (almost 3 hours). But the framing, the pictures you get are worth it. I would argue that if you ask Ari, why he chose that or this angle, why he lingered on that shot, why he used special effects that are subtle and almost not unnoticeable ... he will be able to answer them. He probably won't, letting you decipher and decide what you just watched, but he had a plan. He really knows his stuff.
Now that doesn't mean that you will like the movie. Just because it is made with love and care and attention to every detail, does not make it invincible. It is a taste thing - what do you like to watch in movies. Subtle horror, that is also a drama? Nods to classics like Wicker Man? Will you hate this because to heighten things it takes creative liberty? I don't know if the sun thing (allegedly some claim it is positioned wrong geographically) is a mistake or actually another detail, to make this even more eerie. The costumes may not be traditional, but what the village people do, hopefully isn't traditional either ... if you get hung up on those things, you would be missing the bigger picture. This is not here to critisize or make fun of swedish traditions. This is here to entertain and to hold the viewers suspense - edge of the seat kind of stuff.
So yes this isn't your regular horror movie and it is better for it. And while there is not much violence in it (on screen), the occasional outbursts are really spiking! This is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended ... be aware and have the strong stomach to get through it. This is beautiful and horrifying at the same time and really demands to be seen many times - every time you do, you will discover something new! And with that accidental rhyme, I'll say give this movie your dime
Don't listen to the negative reviewers for this one.
deloudelouvain23 January 2020
First of all I'm glad I didn't pay too much attention to the negative reviewers on here. Normally I tend to listen more to the negative than the positive reviewers as often there are alot of fake positive reviews from people involved in a movie. But in this case the high rating it got from more then 100000 voters made me watch it, and I can't say I regret it. The cinematography is great, the acting is pretty good, and the story is captivating. I'm normally not a big fan of long movies, and in this case I even watched the director's cut that is 30 minutes longer, and never did I get a boring feeling. For that the story is too suspenseful, there is an evil dark ambiance to it that wants you to watch more. Movies about cults are most of the time interesting to watch as those people have a complete different lifestyle to ours, and mostly because they're deranged and/or brainwashed. Watching crazy people act weird, isn't that entertainment? To me it is for sure. Ari Aster did a very good job with this movie, that slow building tension all a long is brilliant. Personally I would have put a more oppressing and dark soundtrack to it, to make it more evil but that's just my opinion. Midsommar is a good movie in this genre, better than I thought it would be.
Didn't do it for me
TheLittleSongbird26 December 2023
'Midsommar' (2019)
Opening thoughts: It took me a long time to get round to watching 'Midsommar', due to not having time or the opportunity to watch it easily. Have always appreciated the genre it fits in, where there are many great films, and Florence Pugh showed a lot of promise seeing her for the first time in 'Little Women'. That it was also directed by the director responsible for the very good 'Hereditary' intrigued me too. The premise was one of those could have gone either way ones, it was advertised bizarrely and the critical reception was very polarising, particularly from those that didn't like it.
After seeing 'Midsommar', count me in as somebody who didn't care for it. It is not an awful film and there are things done right, including an intriguing start, but the second half was a bizarre and tedious mess, so this viewer is this case more understanding of those who didn't like the film than liked. This has absolutely nothing to do with not understanding what 'Midsommar' was going to be or going for, quite the opposite, the issue is that it doesn't achieve its aims very well at all.
Good things: 'Midsommar' does have good things. It is a very well made film visually, with photography that is both dreamlike and nightmarish in all the necessary places. The scenery is also absolutely beautiful, while also with a suitably ominous atmosphere. Did think too that the film started off well, with an unsettling opening that was creepy and suspenseful. The sacrifice scene was similarly suitably horrifying, with it being the scariest (and goriest) the film got.
Regarding the acting, to me it was quite good considering what was given to them (which actually come to think of it wasn't much). Pugh anchors the film beautifully in a compellingly tortured lead performance.
Bad things: However, there are also a lot of drawbacks. Most of the characters are incredibly thinly sketched and behave annoyingly and/or illogically. Pugh has the only character that has any development or who is interesting. Some friends thought that Will Poulter's character had the most personality, to me actually he was annoying and his presence jarred with the rest of the atmosphere. The direction did have some slickness but got very slack and muddled later on the more weird the second half became.
The script has nothing memorable, is very stilted and can fall into self-indulgence. The story and pacing are the weakest aspects of 'Midsommar'. The story starts off with great atmosphere and intrigue, but post the sacrifice scene any creepiness and sense of horror pretty much completely goes. Meaning that the second half is incredibly long winded, this out increasingly (at times non-existent) and is bizarre to the point of near-incoherence. Especially the dragged out and truly daft climax that ends on an abrupt, incomplete feeling note and one of the silliest and most unintentionally funny sex scenes in recent years.
Some of the intended creepy behaviours of the cult were potentially unnerving and sounded it on paper but were under-explored and/or left as loose ends or implied. A much shorter length definitely would have helped the pacing and atmosphere, the film is overlong and could have easily been trimmed by 25-30 minutes which would have tightened the pace. Which would have been achieved if scenes were made shorter and if motivations went into more detail.
Closing thoughts: Overall, underwhelming.
4/10.
Opening thoughts: It took me a long time to get round to watching 'Midsommar', due to not having time or the opportunity to watch it easily. Have always appreciated the genre it fits in, where there are many great films, and Florence Pugh showed a lot of promise seeing her for the first time in 'Little Women'. That it was also directed by the director responsible for the very good 'Hereditary' intrigued me too. The premise was one of those could have gone either way ones, it was advertised bizarrely and the critical reception was very polarising, particularly from those that didn't like it.
After seeing 'Midsommar', count me in as somebody who didn't care for it. It is not an awful film and there are things done right, including an intriguing start, but the second half was a bizarre and tedious mess, so this viewer is this case more understanding of those who didn't like the film than liked. This has absolutely nothing to do with not understanding what 'Midsommar' was going to be or going for, quite the opposite, the issue is that it doesn't achieve its aims very well at all.
Good things: 'Midsommar' does have good things. It is a very well made film visually, with photography that is both dreamlike and nightmarish in all the necessary places. The scenery is also absolutely beautiful, while also with a suitably ominous atmosphere. Did think too that the film started off well, with an unsettling opening that was creepy and suspenseful. The sacrifice scene was similarly suitably horrifying, with it being the scariest (and goriest) the film got.
Regarding the acting, to me it was quite good considering what was given to them (which actually come to think of it wasn't much). Pugh anchors the film beautifully in a compellingly tortured lead performance.
Bad things: However, there are also a lot of drawbacks. Most of the characters are incredibly thinly sketched and behave annoyingly and/or illogically. Pugh has the only character that has any development or who is interesting. Some friends thought that Will Poulter's character had the most personality, to me actually he was annoying and his presence jarred with the rest of the atmosphere. The direction did have some slickness but got very slack and muddled later on the more weird the second half became.
The script has nothing memorable, is very stilted and can fall into self-indulgence. The story and pacing are the weakest aspects of 'Midsommar'. The story starts off with great atmosphere and intrigue, but post the sacrifice scene any creepiness and sense of horror pretty much completely goes. Meaning that the second half is incredibly long winded, this out increasingly (at times non-existent) and is bizarre to the point of near-incoherence. Especially the dragged out and truly daft climax that ends on an abrupt, incomplete feeling note and one of the silliest and most unintentionally funny sex scenes in recent years.
Some of the intended creepy behaviours of the cult were potentially unnerving and sounded it on paper but were under-explored and/or left as loose ends or implied. A much shorter length definitely would have helped the pacing and atmosphere, the film is overlong and could have easily been trimmed by 25-30 minutes which would have tightened the pace. Which would have been achieved if scenes were made shorter and if motivations went into more detail.
Closing thoughts: Overall, underwhelming.
4/10.
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