MOVIE REVIEW – Midsommar is labelled as a horror movie, and it was created by Ari Aster famed director of Hereditary which left quite a huge impression on audiences in 2018. Now only a year later he is back, and once again he has created a unique experience, that just might not be for everyone in the end.

Rather than be the usual slasher movie with clichés the movie and Ari build towards dread and creepiness. It also throws away the usual horror movie conventions of being in the dark, or in a very frightening location, and instead, it takes place in the summer, with the sun shining and where people dance and sing all day long. Welcome to Sweden…

Once in a lifetime trip

The story stars Dani Ardor (played by Florence Pugh) a college student who after a family tragedy is in a strained relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Played by Jack Reynor). After a long back and forth between the couple their friend Pelle invites Christian and his friends to his village in Sweden for a massive party. After arriving in Sweden the group meets the villagers and take part in a few of their customary drinks, parties, and traditions. All seems fine until, little things start to add up throughout the movie, and even some of the villager’s explanation for some traditions leave the group shaken. One by one the group is roped into weirder traditions which could cost them their lives.

The movie, Midsommar is two hours long, and rather then be all about gore it drops little hints throughout the movie, especially in the beginning as to what might happen to the characters. The entire atmosphere is surprising as previously mentioned before it takes place in Northern Sweden (the movie was actually shot in Hungary’s capital – Budapest), where the sun barely sets properly, and there is sunlight during at night. Midsommar also does not rely on jumpscares like most horror movies these days such as Annabelle or the Conjuring movies, instead, it builds up slow anticipation of dread, and horror. The audience also has to focus a bit more than usual when it comes to this horror movie compared to other horror movies, as most things are not explicitly shown, and Midsommar likes to creep in the back of the audience’s mind whether what they are seeing in the background is there or not.

Dance till you drop

While the story is topnotch it would be nothing without the visuals and the music. The camera work is simply superb, and a lot of the shots have double meanings to them. There are also some nice transition scenes between shots that are really creative. Which it needs to be caused if the cinematography was bad I do not think many people would have been able to stick with the movie’s two hour running time.

The music also on the same level, it’s not the usual mysterious “Something bad” is going to happen, or a loud blaring bass showing chase scenes, instead, the music is just simply folk music, with violins, drums and other instruments. The music and the cinematography keeps the movie going, which is a miracle for a two-hour movie. The colours are vivid, whatever gore there is in the movie is disturbing, and the music will keep you in its grasp. Yet it is not a slasher/horror movie in my opinion.

Six feet under

In the end, the movie is more of a drama, rather than being a horror movie, there are horroristic elements to this movie. However, those who are expecting a Halloween, or a Saw movie are going to be disappointed. As the movie is more about the drama between the characters rather than just the kills or deaths.

-Dante-