Midsommar: My Good, Bad, and Ugly

Rating: 8/10 (19 August 2019)

The Good:
Florence Pugh's performance really holds this film together. The men in the cast do okay to support her, but she is really the shining star of this film. The pain from her recent tragedy and how that pain makes her fear of loneliness and acceptance so much worse is made real by her stellar performance. Without Pugh the film would fall flat as most of its themes find their outlet directly through her. The alternative horror subplot provides suspense as Aster's reputation precedes him into this film, but the shock value of certain "unexpected" moments is unimpressive and forgettable. Pugh is the reason that this film has any real value, particularly for value in repeat viewings.
The Bad:
Although Aster's work on Hereditary (2018) places him in a place of arguably refreshing critical praise among horror directors he does little in this sophomore feature outing that isn't predictable. Hereditary had a few surprising moments that grounded the film in the horror genre while still experimenting with the conventions. Midsommar does little to accomplish that feat again. Each "scary" or thrilling revelation is terribly banal as with each one's coming and going the audience is left thinking, "Yeah, that makes sense, rather than "I can't believe what I just saw!"
The Ugly:
The appeal of Midsommar lies primarily in its revelations of the Other and what audiences might see as cult-like behavior. While Midsommar moves slowly and predictably almost entirely throughout - the first act tragedy being the exception - Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin, 2011) explores the darker, and arguably scarier parts of those themes with more effect in a more unpredictable way. John Hawkes horrifies in limited screen time as the audience unexplainably knows exactly who he is and what he's capable of. The similar predictability of Aster's Swedish village is more expository than it is terrifying, and thus misses the mark.