Writer-director Ari Aster made quite an impact with his debut film, Hereditary. The intense drama told the story of a family which was being torn apart after the death of their matriarch. That loss was only the beginning of a terrifying journey thats left them irrevocably changed. The performances were excellent, highlighted by a spectacular turn by Toni Collette as a mother who’s slow descent into madness was both chilling and unsettling. If there was ever a movie where “my family is a horror show” was a perfect tagline, it’s Hereditary. The film was a truly original story that didn't’t rely on jump scares or cheap tricks to terrify viewers. How did Aster follow up that well-received debut? With another unique film, a tale of folk horror entitled Midsommar. The story follows several college students who accept the invitation of their friend Pelle to visit his family’s commune, the Harga, in Sweden. The community is having a midsummer celebration that only occurs every ninety years. All of them have different reasons for going on the trip. One of the students' girlfriends, Dani, has suffered a devastating loss, and is coming unraveled emotionally. Her boyfriend, Christian, invites her along, much to the dismay of his friends Mark and Josh. He had been thinking of breaking up with her, but can't bring himself to do it.
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| Florence Pugh in Midsommar |
What they find when they visit is a lovely, peaceful, pastoral group who live off the land, and form a deep bond with both the earth and each other. Their traditions are based on ancient rites and rules, and the newcomers are at times both baffled and fascinated by their pagan customs. The first sign that things are far outside of their modern range of experience is when the group witnesses the ritual suicide of two elderly members of the commune. Dani and the others are horrified and shaken by this act, but it's explained to them that this is normal for members of the Harga, and that it's perfectly natural, and part of the cycle of life. Both Christian and Josh decide to do their thesis on the Harga and their history, and start asking questions about their customs. Another pair of visitors, Simon and Connie, decide to leave the commune after witnessing the ritual suicide, but the couple disappears under mysterious circumstances.
The tension between the commune and its visitors escalates when Mark (who went along on the trip mostly as a lark) urinates on a tree that is sacred to the Harga, and Josh asks a few too many questions about their culture and rituals. Both Josh and Mark also end up disappearing. Dani, who has been on an emotional roller coaster since her personal loss, slowly becomes drawn to the deep familial bond offered by the commune. Christian, who's been distancing himself from Dani, finds himself tempted by a member of the commune that's attracted to him. It all culminates in an intense finale that reveals the final fate of Christian and Dani, as well as the others. Suffice it to say that if you've seen other tales of folk horror, like the original version of The Wicker Man, or Blood on Satan's Claw, you'll know that there are deadly secrets and real terror lurking behind the kind faces of the commune, and the seemingly innocent pastoral settings.
If Hereditary was about the disintregation of a family, Midsommar feels like it charts the search for a surrogate family and a sense of community, at least in Dani's case. She's like a ship without a rudder after her loss, and the Harga seems to offer what she's been missing. The film is also a compelling commentary about the clash of our modern world of iPhones, computers and the internet with a culture that has no interest in such things. Are the Harga murderers, or are they just following customs and rituals that have been passed down to them for centuries? Their traditions are certainly far removed from what's normal for us in the 21st century. Writer-director Aster doesn't paint the Harga as black hat villains. While they do disturbing and violent things in the service of their community, it's all to protect their way of life. It's an interesting and compelling comparison, seeing the way the visitors react and interact with the Harga, and how the commune reacts in turn to their guests' modern, and often disrespectful, attitudes.
Aster's writing and direction are top-notch. He subtly illustrates the conflict of cultures within the framework of a dark and often disturbing tale of terror. The cast is excellent. Florence Pugh is stellar as Dani; she portrays her as a crumbling soul, who find herself with no love and support after her loss. In the early part of the film, her emotions are raw and almost off-putting, but the tone of the performance fits the arc of her character. Pelle. Jack Reynor is good as Christian, who tries to be a good guy, but also wants to be free of his responsibilities as Dani's boyfriend and emotional support system. The rest of the cast, including Will Poulter as Mark and Vilhelm Blomgren as Pelle, also offer solid performances. The film is a visual marvel, with an amazing array of costumes, illustrations, language and music showing us the culture of the Harga. The excellent production design provides a great backdrop for the story. It's a fully realized world that truly feels different from our own.
Writer-director Ari Aster is a talent to watch. I was a big fan of Hereditary (though it is something of a "love it or hate it" film for some viewers) and with Midsommar, he knocks it out of the park once again. This is a dazzling, original film that bears repeat viewings to catch the care and depth of detail involved in the project. We seem to be in a new golden age of horror films, with talented filmmakers such as Aster, Mike (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep) Flanagan, Jordan (Get Out, Us) Peele, Robert (The Witch, The Lighthouse) Eggers, Andres (Stephen King's It) Muschietti, Jennifer (The Babadook) Kent and others, whose work is definitely helping to re-define and re-invigorate the genre. Midsommar is now available on DVD and Blu-ray and for online streaming. There's also a director's cut of the film available. Check out the trailer for the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vnghdsjmd0.
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