Aster at last provides 2019 with a decent film

Rating: 10/10 (6 July 2019)

A 2019 new release film from director Ari Aster that evoked memories of a 1970s film banned for 20 years or so.
Only Aster's second feature, following 2018's Hereditary, a film that for many (not myself) brought comparisons to The Exorcist.
Midsommar instantly evokes comparisons to the classic Christopher Lee film, The Wicker Man with pagan cults and a palette of colour throughout.
The colour is provided by a midsummer festival in Sweden, not the usual dark photography of a 'horror' film.
The film also avoids the usual horror film cliches of jump scares and mood lighting.
A rather long run time for a film of the genre at over 140 minutes. The extended run time allows for some plot development surrounding the characters which I will come on to.
Without bringing major spoilers to the review the film involves a group of American students, two of whom Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor) are a couple experiencing relationship issues involving a family tragedy.
Christian has a circle of Inbetweeners like freinds some of whom provide comic relief throughout the film. I'm thinking of Mark (Will Poulter).
A 'lads' break to the festival is planned but Dani, inadvertently is tagged along.
What follows is a 'trip' the group could not imagine. A drug induced, time confusing period of some quite disturbing scenes.
The film does have some gory sequences yet members of the cinema audience did snigger.
Featuring some quite scary lookalikes including Bjorn from Swedish pop group Abba and Jeremy Corbyn!
2019 has been a poor year thus far cinematically, probably as of July 2019 one, if not the best film.
The Wicker Man had a legend in the late Christopher Lee. Midsommar doesn't. The casting is pretty low key but effective.
Not a conventional horror more a psychological drama with a smuttering of comedy.