For Better or Worse: It's not Hereditary (Spoiler-Free)

Rating: 7/10 (3 July 2019)

For those of you who HAVE seen Hereditary: (If not, skip to next segment)
"Midsommar" is like another flavor from the same ice cream shop of discomfort, but truthfully... it's a bad acid trip that wears off the moment you leave the theater.
A lot of that signature Ari Aster dread can be felt in the film's powerful/memorable First Act.
The Second Act brings up a lot of questions and keeps you engaged, but don't expect to be terrified. It gets a little lost in itself and starts feeling a bit vague.
So, like Hereditary, you're probably expecting a HORRIFIC Third Act, right? It's only natural considering that Hereditary was a Family Drama that ended on a horrifying note. Well, without spoiling anything, don't hold your breath. The Third Act abruptly throws the film into the Art/Allegory category without providing much in the nature of horror.
Midsommar checks all of the boxes. It (kind of) answers all of the questions. But I left the theater, and my mind wandered back to Hereditary. Midsommar isn't really a film that stays with you, while for me (at least) Hereditary still does.
Loads of respect to Ari Aster for trying something completely different, but it loses points for simply not being scary or disturbing enough to stick with you.
For those of you who HAVEN'T seen Hereditary: (READ THIS if you SKIPPED)
On the plus side, Midsommar is unlike any horror film you've seen recently. It deserves to be seen at least once by any horror fan.
On the negative side, Midsommar struggles to even BE a horror film. It starts off as a drama and ends as an art show. Don't expect any scares to write home about. (Although to its credit, it does contain a few genuinely disturbing scenes)
TL;DR:
It's not Hereditary. It's barely a Horror film. But, in many ways, it's probably the most unique film you'll see this year. You'll show up for the "horror" but you'll only stay for the visuals.
Props to Ari Aster for shooting a Horror film 90% in broad daylight. It's only a pity that all of the memorable "scares" still take place during the 10% shot in the dark.