Streaming: Prime Video
Warnings:
Sex
Extreme Violence
Graphic Imagery
Explicit Language
Drugs
Rating: R
Midsommar is one of the most terrifying and cerebral horror films available for viewing today. A woman loses her entire family, so she tags along on a trip to Scandinavia with her boyfriend and his friends, it seems like a wonderful escape until things don’t turn out as planned. The folk horror film is written and directed by Ari Aster who is known for the terrifying film Hereditary. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, and Will Poulter. The production of the film was between the United States, Hungary and Sweden, it was initially pitched to Aster as a straightforward slasher film set among Swedish cultists. However, after Aster devised the screenplay inspired by elements of the pitch, the film focuses on a deteriorating relationship, which was motivated in result of a difficult break up Aster was experiencing. From the cinematography, the acting and the themes intertwined in the film, Midsommar is one of the most captivating folk horror films today.
The creative choices in Midsommar are thoughtful and fascinating once you learn the about the pre-production of the film. For example, it seems like a mistake that the Swedish dialogue spoken by the Hårga natives is deliberately not subtitled but it was actually purposeful. This was in order to create a sense of isolation for the audience which is a reflection of how the characters are feeling. Aster even created a fake language for the cult that is based on the “runes” writing system, which are letters in a set of related alphabets known as “runic” alphabets. These alphabets were used to write Germanic languages prior to the Latin alphabet. Along with creating a written language, Aster also created folklore for the cult in the film that is based on Viking folklore, Swedish folklore and German folklore. These intentional choices make this film incredibly interesting and unique from most horror films, especially because of how much effort Aster put in to make this cult seem realistic.
Aside from the fascinating back story of the cult, the acting truly brought this film to life. The casting was really well done and through the chemistry of the actors, the characters seemed like a believable friend group. Florence Pugh was especially praised for her role as the lead, Dani. She was nominated for Best Actress by the Gotham Independent Film Awards and won the Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Pugh portrays true sorrow as if she is a wounded animal, which I don’t believe is a mistake. In an interview with Aster, he stated that they had seen many different actors try out for Dani, but Pugh was clearly the best, they even waited for her to be able to try out for the part. The emotional trauma that Pugh perfectly displayed through her performance is unmatched and wouldn’t have been captured with any other actress.
Finally, the cinematography is breathtaking; unlike most horror films, Midsommar is shot in high key, and its consistently bright and colorful. Aster and his cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski had lenses specifically made for this film and that effort doesn’t go unnoticed. Pogorzelski is also known for his work on Hereditary, Nobody and Home Videos. Joined with the high key lighting, the colors that are used pop in a way that hasn’t been done before in the horror genre. The colors included in the film highlight the alluring beauty of the cult but also expose the grim violence. Aster stated that it was incredibly difficult shooting this film because the production team was always limited by the daytime. The production team had to film everything on sunny days, otherwise it would be problematic to match what was previously filmed. In addition to the coloring and the lighting, there are shots in the film that are nods to other filmmakers, there is a shot above the characters when they are walking into the forest that is clearly a reference to The Shining. Lastly, there are a lot of wonderfully framed shots that are appealing to the eye simply because of the symmetry. The cinematography for this film will be hard to top for Aster’s future horror films.
Midsommar certainly isn’t a film for everyone, it’s one of those films that can be appreciated in little doses because of how violent and shocking it is. With that being said, it is also one of the most beautiful horror films made, and it is interesting to see a new genre of horror that is significantly different from what audiences have seen in the past. Cerebral and thought-provoking horror has become more popular among filmmakers and it allows the audiences to be scared in a new and thrilling way. If you wish to watch a film that makes you terrified of Swedish folklore, I highly recommend Midsommar.