With disgust and beauty- horror masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (7 February 2020)

Hereditary was in my eyes a horror masterpiece- something so deliberately paced with incredible tension and twists that sent your soul to hell... Midsommar somehow recaptures this spirit by masking its disturbing nature in (literal) broad daylight.
If I was to ever give a sermon or master class on how to direct a camera, I would 100% show this film. The best word to describe every technical visual feat is "clean". There are so many beautiful shots-- especially in the opening hour or so-- and none feel gratuitous or obsequious in intent. I can imagine a lot was done with drones that wouldn't have been possible even just a few years ago. The editing, camerawork, set design, and lighting all blend together in this masterwork of cinematography and style. A lesson on how to make a movie look absolutely pristine while presenting what you want the audience to feel subtly. There are countless moments where clever camera-based CGI makes the audience feel like they are on a drug-trip with the characters in the film. Even the disgusting moments in this film are shot so cleanly that the visuals and camerawork clash with each other. Just like how Hilsongland's (main location) exterior masks its malicious heart. There are brilliant time transitions where the camera focuses on one thing then seamlessly transitions to a new period through the editing. It's done so well that the pacing never dies down- masterful.
Now on to the next part of technical wizardry. The music by Bobby Krlic is tied so perfectly with each scene as it serves its purpose both diegetically and non-diegetically. Sometimes the music will start diegetically then transfer to the audiences ears or vice-versa. It goes from soothing to horrifying which at times elevates scenes from creepy to terrifying. The string orchestra is used so viciously that it makes your hair raise as if it's calling out to run away from what it's hearing. It's serenity is but a farce. If anything, I felt that the sound design was mostly fine while at other times fantastic. A lot of moments have characters talking at a distance but the sound mix does not reflect that and puts them center channel as if they were talking directly into the camera. This was slightly distracting but felt stylistic, so I give it a pass. One specific detail that can't go unspoken is the runic language used in the film as the village elders explain that they speak and learn new "sounds". This is essentially the script's way of making the audio mix play into the emotions of our main characters and the villagers. Unnerving- just hope you never hear anyone scream this much in real life. Otherwise, masterful audio mix; specifically the music mix, what a damn good score. Gonna be hard to listen to it on its own, that's for sure.
Florence Pugh has seemingly broken into the mainstream most especially with this film. Her performance here is incredible. Florence's sadness is so real that it's awkward to watch play out on screen. The way Jack Reynor's character, Christian, subtly abuses his power in the relationship is portrayed perfectly by her constant self-reassurance that she is in the wrong- not him. This is undoubtedly her movie and with good reason as the opening sells you on her motivations/paranoia. Another perfectly acted character was the calculated and curious Josh played by William Jackson Harper. He was one of the secondary characters yet felt necessary as an outsider looking into a world unknown. A big standout was Vilhelm Blomgren as Pelle, the friend who brings them all together and is generally quite a nice individual with a smile that hides more than it reveals. The rest of the main "outsiders" cast all felt like redshirts and were just fine but really were so cliche that you know how it ends for them. Jack Reynor plays such a cold-hearted person that I honestly found him to be wooden until I understood his character and realised he was meant to be that way. Overall extremely well performed but the script left some characters in the horror trope dust.
The script is probably the weakest part of the film and not in a bad way. It's written realistically enough but some characters' dialogue is unconvincing to the point of ridicule. Will Poulter plays the idiot character and he is so cheesy. The movie puts smart dialogue in everyone's mouths except for his. It always came across as an older gentleman's perspective on how a horny teenager would talk and it's almost laughable. Luckily the rest of the writing is strong even if some parts are ripped directly out of other horror films. What saves those issues is the pacing. By giving each scene time to breathe, we believe the trope-y things more than we would in a faster paced movie. We believe more in these characters and their situation as opposed to immediately wanting the film to come to its conclusions. In that way the script more than justifies its merits. -- It has come to my attention that some character motivations/stories are more fleshed out in the extended cut. If I ever get a chance to review this version of the screenplay I will.
Between Hereditary and Midsommar, Ari Aster has a few oddities he exploits for shock value. Both movies share excessive head-related gore, cults, mystery, innocence, and nude old cult members. The sinister images in this film feel so real because of the use of high quality practical effects and CGI. VFX have characterized horror for years; Midsommar is a great example of them at their most real.
Midsommar is another hit for Ari Aster and is my favorite horror of 2019- yes, beating out The Lighthouse. I never would have thought Aster would be able to recapture that horrific witchcraft he did with Hereditary again but here he does it in a more relaxed setting. This is a strong recommend to anyone trying to experience quality tension in any medium. Just don't forget to "breathe" along the way.