• Consequence
  • Music
  • Film
  • TV
  • Heavy
Menu Consequence
Menu Shop Search Newsletter
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Live
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Cover Story
Advertisement
  • Reviews
  • Film Reviews

Film Review: Midsommar Is a Mindfuck of the Highest Order

Ari Aster's follow-up to Hereditary is terrifying, unnerving, and yet also kind of hilarious

Midsommar (A24)
A-

Directed by

  • Ari Aster

Starring

  • Florence Pugh
  • Will Poulter
  • Jack Reynor

Release Year

  • 2019

Rating

  • R
Trace Thurman
June 19, 2019 | 10:46am ET

    The Pitch: Dani (Florence Pugh) is not having the best time. On the verge of a breakup with her inattentive boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor), she suffers a devastating tragedy that claims the lives of her entire family. Feeling guilty, Christian invites Dani to join him and his friends Josh (William Jackson Harper), Mark (Will Poulter), and Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren) on a trip to the Swedish commune where the latter was raised.

    Upon arrival, the friends are asked to take part in a nine-day celebration held once every 90 years. Needless to say, sinister things are afoot, and the commune members aren’t as innocent as they seem. It isn’t long before our heroine is thrust into the middle of a pagan ritual that threatens her life, as well as those of her friends.

    Dread and … Laughs (?) Over Scares: Those looking for a jump-a-minute scarefest should look elsewhere, as Midsommar has other things on its mind. The film is never outright scary, but similar to Ari Aster‘s Hereditary, it builds a significant amount of dread.

    Advertisement
    Related Video

    Aster uses daylight to his advantage, utilizing an aesthetic not seen in many horror films. Every bloody wound is highlighted under the sun, offering an unnerving juxtaposition that’s gory, yet not exactly blood-soaked. That may disappoint those hoping for carnage candy, and while the film wouldn’t necessarily benefit from going that route, there are a few off-screen deaths that could have been featured more prominently. Just be prepared for haunting imagery over more traditional action-horror fare.

    What’s really surprising, though, is how Midsommar is funny, and intentionally so. Echoes of the dark comedy seen in other ignorant-Americans-in-a-foreign-country films like Hostel and its superior sequel make up the DNA of Midsommar. Poulter, in particular, is frequently hilarious in his delivery of Mark’s cultural insensitivities. But Aster has some fun, too, injecting a healthy dose of gallows humor into the proceedings. One minute you’ll be laughing at a pubic hair meat pie, and the next you’ll be cringing at some of the more grotesque displays of corpses to be found on this side of NBC’s Hannibal.

    The disparity between these tones is great, and yet Aster weaves them together seamlessly. It’s one of the more captivating feats of Midsommar.

    Advertisement

    Midsommar Press Shot (A24)

    Midsommar (A24)

    A Slow Burn: Like Hereditary, Midsommar is a deliberately paced film that slowly builds tension over the course of its lengthy 140-minute (!) runtime. Don’t let that number scare you, though; this thing moves. While the film does drag a bit in transitioning from its second to third act (Hereditary was also guilty of this), it’s a roller coaster of insanity from there. And whereas Hereditary faced (unfounded) complaints about its third act feeling disjointed, Midsommar won’t be plagued by such criticisms. It’s all in plain sight.

    So are the film’s influences. Aster owes more than a few debts to Robin Hardy’s The Wicker Man, both in terms of narrative and stylistic choices, and therein lies the initial problem: Anyone with a lick of sense will immediately know something is amiss with Pelle’s commune. Even so, Aster manages to keep viewers fully captivated, and the “fun” then stems from unraveling the paganists’ plot for our protagonists. While the revelations aren’t too surprising, you can’t complain when it’s executed as expertly as it is here.

    Having said that, it’ll be interesting to see how Midsommar plays on multiple viewings. Where the mystery behind Hereditary benefits from those revelations, the fairly straightforward narrative here doesn’t leave much to uncover by the time the credits roll.

    Advertisement

    midsommar a24 ari aster horror movie florence pugh trailer watch

    Midsommar (A24)

    Hell in the Pugh: The performances are solid across the board — Reynor shows some incredibly strong chops as the cowardly Christian — but it’s Pugh who walks away with it all. She delivers an incredibly nuanced performance, even amidst the character’s showier moments and emotional outbursts. So much is asked of this remarkable young star, including several devastating displays of grief and challenging moral face-offs that she sells with some tremendous eye-acting. Between this and Fighting With My Family, 2019 is shaping up to be a great year for Pugh.

    The Verdict: Midsommar is a mind-fuck of the highest order, channeling a young woman’s journey through grief and a toxic relationship. At 140 minutes the film is deliberate but never boring, aided by Pugh’s phenomenal performance and its stunning visuals.

    Once again, Aster’s superb direction is complemented by Pawel Pogorzelski’s dazzling cinematography (the man really knows how to frame a tableau), and the imagery alone deserves to be framed on a wall. Speaking of which, make special note of the ensuing artwork in this film.

    Advertisement

    Though it’s not outright scary, Midsommar will no doubt unsettle even the most steeled of viewers. It will also satiate those who may have feared a sophomore slump from Aster. Hardly. This film’s the real deal, and if anything, it’s more audience-friendly than his first.

    Don’t miss it.

    Where’s It Playing? Midsommar opens its summer gates on July 3rd.

    Trailer:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit

More on this topic

  • A24
  • Ari Aster
  • Florence Pugh
  • Horror
  • Jack Reynor
  • Midsommar
  • William Jackson Harper

Sign up for updates

Subscribe to our email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.

Advertisement

Popular Stories

Latest Stories

A-
werewolf by night review marvel disney plus special presentation halloween special

Werewolf by Night Is a Marvelous Monster Mash: Review

October 6, 2022

B
Hellraiser Review Jamie Clayton Hulu

Hellraiser Review: A True Reboot That's Pretty Darned Good

October 5, 2022

C+
david o russell amsterdam film first look release date

Not Even An All-Star Cast Can Save David O. Russell's Amsterdam: Review

October 4, 2022

B+
White Noise Review

NYFF Review: Noah Baumbach Delightfully Skewers Our Fear of Death in White Noise

October 3, 2022

B+
Till Review Danielle Deadwyler

Till Digs Into a Deeply Shameful, Deeply American Tragedy: Review

October 1, 2022

B-
Master Gardener Review Paul Schrader

Paul Schrader's Master Gardener Treads Very Familiar Soil: Review

October 1, 2022

A-
Decision to Leave Review

Chan-wook Park's Decision to Leave Is a Sizzling Romantic Thriller: Review

September 30, 2022

D+
Greatest Beer Run Ever Review

The Greatest Beer Run Ever Is a Pretty Likeable Movie, and That's a Huge Problem: Review

September 30, 2022

Advertisement

News

  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Tours
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture

Reviews

  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews

Features

  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Cover Stories
  • Lists
  • Guides
  • CoSign
  • Song of the Week

Live

  • Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Photo Galleries
  • Music Instruments & Gear

Heavy

  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts

More

  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Wellness
  • Giveaways

Other sites

  • Heavy Consequence
  • Consequence Media
  • Modern Drummer
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Advertising
  • Work For Us
  • Terms
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Download our app

  • Get it on the App Store
  • Get it on Google Play
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Consequence
Current story

Film Review: Midsommar Is a Mindfuck of the Highest Order

Menu Shop Search Newsletter
Consequence
News
  • News
  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Tours
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
Reviews
  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews
Features
  • All Features
  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Cover Stories
  • Lists
  • Guides
  • CoSign
  • Song of the Week
Live
  • Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Photo Galleries
  • Music Instruments & Gear
Podcasts
  • The Opus
  • Kyle Meredith With...
  • Stanning BTS
  • The Story Behind the Song
  • The What
  • Going There with Dr. Mike
  • The Rome and Duddy Show
Videos
  • Interviews
  • Two for the Road
  • First Time I Heard
  • When I Made
  • Battle of the Bandmates
  • Peer 2 Peer
  • Essays
  • Fan Theories
Heavy
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Culture
  • Beyond the Boys Club
  • Mining Metal
Shop
  • Shop
  • Giveaways
Hometowns

Follow Consequence

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Close
Close
 

Loading Comments...