Strange Self Indulgent Film

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2019)

Midsommar brought to us by horror prodigy Ari Aster could have been so much more. Most people are familiar with Ari for his breakthrough film Hereditary. A good percentage of people (myself included) found that to be one of the best horror movies of the decade and were clamoring for Ari's next work. In comes Midsommar a sunny acid trip to Sweden. Right off the bat, the audience is treated to a sorrowful pitch black opening, that while serving its purpose left more to be desired.
If you're reading this you know what Midsommar is about. We get a good hour of buildup before anything out of ordinary happens. Once that shockingly gruesome moment happens it's as if we've reached a crossroads. The director had a few different paths to take from there, and he took a more self-indulgent strange one.
Unsettling music, obtuse camera work, trippy visuals, long drawn out scenes, head-scratching moments, a disfigured child, comical quips (both intentional and unintentional) Midsommar is a messy mixed bag.
This film could have been more than another beautiful to look at, but hollow art piece. Ultimately it's hard to call it anything more than that. We are left without explanations for some big things, some elements feel like they were thrown in for no real reason outside of being visually jarring, and a lot of this movie feels overlong and dragging. Often times taking itself way too seriously and feeling like it was trying too hard to be something it isn't. Characters felt empty, even given the long run time to aide in giving them more depth.
Just as these types of movies usually do we have some allegories here. We don't, however, have much horror at all. The viewer gets occasional feelings of dread and despair, but this is more of a drama than anything else which I'm not faulting it for, the marketing would just have you think otherwise.
I can see the appeal, and it wasn't horrible but Midsommar drops into some pitfalls that I can't forgive it for. I left the theater just wanting more ultimately unsatisfied with what I was given.