Midsommar is nothing short of phenomenal! If you enjoy horror movies as much as I do, then this is the movie for you! Midsommar was released in June of 2019 by the production company, A24. Midsommar made a profit of practically 50 million dollars worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing horror movie from A24. Overall, the movie did very well in theaters and was popular among viewers.
The movie begins with Dani (Florence Pugh) suffering the loss of her two parents and sister. Dani’s toxic boyfriend, Christian (Jack Reynor), is invited to go on a guy’s trip by his Swedish friend, Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren). Although Dani was not initially supposed to go, she is invited out of pity. The movie follows the group of friends to Pelle’s home village to partake in their Midsommar Festival that occurs every 90 years. The town appears serene and picturesque, but it is all a facade to hide the horrors within.
The group is offered psychedelic drinks upon their arrival which causes Dani’s anxiety and grief to get the better of her, causing her to go into a downward spiral. After their high subsides, Pelle shows the group their housing and where their communal dinner table is, both very different from the standards in America. The group is then invited to watch the first event of the Midsommar Festival. This sickening scene makes the group skeptical and eager to leave. As the movie progresses, more of the town’s stomach-churning traditions are revealed. Dani is ultimately faced with a perplexing dilemma as the people closest to her die.
The first hour of the movie is very slow-paced, primarily to show the relationship between Dani and Christian which is later very important to the overall plot and ending of the movie. Ari Aster’s (director/ screenwriter) use of foreshadowing and symbolism throughout the whole film was brilliant! He added easter eggs in tapestry designs and wall murals that hinted at what was to come later in the movie. In addition to that, colors and certain items were very heavily used to symbolize things as well. Christian was represented by a bear, which is a symbol of evil and dishonesty in Swedish culture. There was a plethora of colorful flowers to illustrate fertility in the village.
The movie is very graphic and can be disturbing to some viewers; additionally, it is rated R and contains a lot of adult elements. Other than that, I would highly recommend this movie to any avid horror fan.
