Midsommar: Bending Boundaries
Midsommar, Ari Aster’s second feature, hit cinemas around the world few days ago. Ironically, the film did not release on actual Midsommar day, which was rather underwhelming — but whatever. The production stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Pouter, and William Patrick Jackson. It’s marketed as a horror film.
And we all remember Ari Aster’s Hereditary. A film that surely established itself as one of the most ambitious and brave horror productions of past years. A film that, one might say, was the Get Out of 2018. We’re not talking about Hereditary though, we’re talking about Midsommer.
How do they compare?
Midsommar a better film. But don’t go into it expecting a horror movie.
Because it’s not. It’s a drama with disturbing images – at least that’s the most logical explanation we can wrap our heads around. Back to Ari Aster, it’s his direction that really pops in Midsommer. It’s truly refreshing to see a film with such deep self-awareness and such clear vision to it. Midsommer is definitely ambitious; and it’s wonderful to see that the film manages to identify itself so well and even go beyond its ambitions. It’s a beautifully directed movie. Ari Aster proves once again that he is a master of the art; he tells a unique story in a unique way. He adds truly amazing cinematography on top of that, combined with spectacular lighting and production design. On a technical level, Midsommar is through the roof. And, need we say again, Ari Aster’s creative control over the production is praiseworthy.
It also must be mentioned that Aster did not only direct this story – he wrote it too.
And this is where it gets interesting.
The good thing about Midsommer’s script is the fact that it’s exquisitely and deeply layered. It’s a smart script. A script full of metaphors, and imagery, and ideological concepts, and depths of the raw human nature.
In a sense, understanding Midsommer is like solving a puzzle that constantly moves. To a viewer, this film is an experience; Midsommer pushes people out of their comfort zone. It makes them work to understand what’s happening. It makes people think. And any sort of media that makes people think is truly praiseworthy.
However – there are a few problems. The first act of Midsommer runs smooth as butter. The second act, on the other hand, is extremely slow-paced; so much so that it’s difficult to keep your focus at times. This is where solving the puzzle will save most viewers – their attention will be on the story because they would simply have no other choice. The third act of Midsommer is one of the strangest things I’ve personally seen on screen – and it was amazing. The payoff is there; however, it may not be as we want it. Midsommer, for 147 minutes, seems to build towards something spectacular. And that maybe never comes. It depends on your personal definition of spectacular and personal story preferences. But yes, the third act is definitely not your traditional movie ‘culmination’; is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, from a story perspective. But from a filmmaking perspective, Midsommer lacks some almost necessary changes and payoffs.
Midsommer’s only big flaw is, as mentioned above, the length and the pace. It’s so goddamn long. This is both due to the story itself and some directorial decision that came to it.
But Florence Pugh is absolutely brilliant in this.
Weather it’s her raw talent or Aster’s genuine ability to direct grief so realistically – it doesn’t matter. The fact remains, she is wonderful. And so is the rest of the cast, for that matter. Jack Reynor shines and it’s wonderful to finally see him in a leading role. Will Pouter proves himself yet again, and it’s great to see William Patrick Jackson do something different than our beloved Chidi.
Midsommar is, generally, worth the watch. It’s not a perfect movie, but it is a smart movie. It’s film with clear vision and deep layers; an uncomfortable experience in the best way possible. Stunning cinematography and unique directing compensate for some of the story elements that lack throughout.
Midsommar is definitely not for everyone. But you’ll never know if it’s for you unless you go and see it.
It’s an OurMovieLife recommended.
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Feel like rewatching Hereditary before jumping into Midsommar? Get the Blu-Ray here.
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