Midsommar
Ari Aster does not make horror easy for his audience, and that’s perfectly fine by me. His 2018 family horror film, “Hereditary,” began with death, and ended with death as a way to new life, and “Midsommar” is structured the same way. He is not afraid to just thrust you into moments that flatten you, and challenge you as to whether you will continue or not. (His 2011 short, “The Strange Thing About the Johnsons,” works similarly.) “Hereditary” is a stronger film, I think, but “Midsommar” sucks you in all the same.
Where “Hereditary” is a dark film visually, even in the light, “Midsommar” is bright, except for the brutal beginning scenes that set the stage of what’s to come. Rather than a large, overarching theme like “Hereditary” had, “Midsommar” explores themes in small doses, and I think that’s part of the reason it doesn’t work as well as “Hereditary” for me. That said, those micro explorations into themes are compelling, and kept me continually watching even if the film was stretching out too long in its nearly 2 1/2 hour running time.
“Midsommar” begins with shocking tragedy, as Dani (Florence Pugh) is worried about her sister, who suffers from bipolar disorder, and has sent her an unsettling email. Dani is put on edge by it, and is leaning on her boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor), to help her through her emotions. In the eyes of Mark (Will Poulter), Josh (William Jackson Harper) and Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren), however, Christian just needs to end things with Dani- she’s “clingy,” and Christian has wanted to get out of the relationship for about a year. What Christian lacks, however, is conviction of actions, and when Dani’s sister kills herself, and her parents, he cannot possibly abandon her. Cut to the next summer, and Dani’s trauma remains, but it’s not keeping Christian and his friends from going to Sweden for a midsommar festival that is taking place in the community Pelle grew up in. Christian invites Dani along, although when she decides to go with them, it changes everything about the dynamics of the trip. When they get to the commune, what they saw as a vacation abroad with rich, immature potential becomes a nightmare.
“Midsommar” is a folk horror drama in the same vein as “The Witch,” but the setting- during the summer solstice, when the sun is out almost the entire time- is unnerving, and shot by cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski with the same dread he brought to the darker lighting and shot composition in “Hereditary.” (The score by Bobby Krlic is a perfect compliment to the visuals.) For a film that takes place almost entirely in the sunlight, there’s a bleak energy that comes through; from the outset, Pelle’s community, and the festival (which takes place every 90 years), gives off an unsettling vibe, which is confirmed when two elders in the community kill themselves in ritualistic manner. The outsiders do not know what to make of it, and another outside couple (Simon and Connie) wants to get out of dodge as soon as possible. Christian, Josh, Mark and Dani are tempted to leave, as well, but Josh is wanting to write his thesis on this ceremony, and Pelle convinces them to stay. Dani’s reactions are interesting to watch; she’s almost numb to the deaths, and she almost feels accepted by the community; Pugh is fantastic in how she brings Dani’s trauma and pain to life, and gets us to sympathize with her every step of the way. One particular event, the May Queen dance, gives her the first real sense of peace we’ve seen from her the entire movie, and the benefits are unexpected to her when she happens to win.
This film doesn’t really have an overarching idea guiding it- it’s essentially the unfolding of a situation, and the deterioration of a relationship that was broken when we first met Christian and Dani, and that is enough to sustain the film, even in its lulls. It doesn’t make those lulls easier to sit through, but it does make us want to see how things end; we know that it will end, but we don’t know the hows of it, and that’s compelling. Meanwhile, Aster has some ideas he wants to explore- about a partner who is emotionally unavailable, and who leaves things unsaid to the person they have romantically committed to, which Christian is towards Dani. Christian also is at the center of a couple of other, more satirical ideas Aster illuminates. Even though Josh, who is black, is the one who originally has chosen his thesis be about midsommar, Christian swoops in, and white privilege is brought to the forefront in this subplot; it’s a sharp point by Aster that takes a dark turn as the story unfolds.
“Midsommar” is not an easy film- none of Aster’s films have been- and that’s just the way I like it. I love his vision and imagination, though, and the way he challenges his audience with the ideas he presents. He’s comfortable if you don’t go along with it; if you do, that means you’ll be treated to something unexpected, and fascinating to watch. He created images you will not forget, and gives us ideas to chew over as we watch those images play out, and leave the film afterwards. I cannot wait to see what he has for us next.
