Stylish, Yet Derivative

Rating: 7/10 (11 July 2019)

There is no doubt that director Ari Aster is emerging as a 21st century horror auteur along with contemporary Jordan Peele. HIs style has become rather noticeable, with frequent use of runes and symbols, slow and intentionally uncomfortable tracking shots, unsettling atmospheres, uncompromising and almost scenery chewing levels of acting from his performers, etc. Midsommar is no exception here. The production values are astounding, from the flowery costumes and accessories, to the serene yet off-putting setting on the Swedish countryside.
The film is not without its faults though. Firstly, at a running time of 143 minutes, the film tends to drag a little while setting the atmosphere, particularly in the beginning where it spends a little too much time with Shining-like driving shots and prolonged introductions to the locals. Secondly, the setup of our protagonist feels somewhat half-baked. The film starts our protagonist's sister committing a murder suicide with her parents to set the overall tone of the film. It's attention grabbing yes, but as the film progresses, it is more or less forgotten with the exception of some spirit cameos. In the big picture, I feel it wasn't really needed considering the bleakness to come. But where the film really falls short for me however, is surprisingly the originality of the story. To Aster's credit, there are only so many things you can do with the twists and turns of the human sacrificing cult narrative, but there are one too many moments where I was reminded of The Wicker Man. Even down to the point of a possible nod of its remake involving a... bear skin.
That being said, I still enjoyed the film. It wasn't exactly the second coming of the Wicker Man, but it certainly shows promise for its talented writer/director. I will be looking forward to see the next nightmarish vision to come from this emerging auteur.