Sublime - and correct from a high-priest's view - anthropology

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2020)

I was NOT ready for this. Not after months of streaming (expletive deleted - Last-Jedi-like, expletive deleted) quote-content-unquote.
My VHS collection numbered over 5.000 titles (long gone), yet I still hang on to all my VCDs. I am not young, neither am I (very) old. Bought my first CED last week, yet my first Laserdisc in the 90's. Saying "I'm a film fan" is like Rutger Hauer saying "I've seen things you wouldn't believe" at the end of Blade Runner. Don't get these references, abbreviations and so forth? And as a self-identified millennial you feel no need to Google any of what you don't get? Great! Please leave and do not watch the reviewed film! You will be bored, give it a 1/10, and then go off to make your next TikTok video :-(((
Did you go back all the way on the "HighSeas"-Bay to download Lars von Trier's early-/ student-films? OMG! THIS is for YOU! But even David Cronenberg fans that can stand slow pacing will love this!
Now, having only seen the second film from this writer-director this very evening ('Hereditary,' a far more common horror-film, though still exceptional), I do not feel I have the right to comment on his work in a general sense. And I do not feel, having watched the film only once, authorized to comment on this work in any broad sense. I lack degrees in anthropology and psychiatry.
I do however have field experience in psychology, a minor degree in (cinema-) photography and I am what Christians call a "witch". I am a high-priest of the old religion.
The old faith was a nature religion that was widespread in the region now called the West (Northern-Europe to Portugal, Ireland to the Crimea) from ca. 20.000 years ago until the introduction of the Eastern religions (Judaism, Christianity, Mohammedanism/ Islam) into mainland Europe starting ca. 2.000 years ago. It was the main religion (in various forms) among the Celtic people as well as the early Germanic people. It was also the start of all early modern religions. The true story is broader, with the Catholic church branding followers of the old faith as heretics and witches (late mid-eval period). While the religion was polytheistic, a God was depicted alongside the main Goddess. In modern Christian religion the mother Goddess was turned into the minor "Goddess" Maria. However, in the main religion, the main Goddess was female (moon), while the God (sun) served her to inseminate nature with his fertility.
This explanation of the old faith is simplified. As a male I should not be the leader of our circle. I am not good at it, and fear our faith will diminish.
The old faith is observed today in various forms by Pagans (a Catholic term, mainly Europa), Druids (mainly U.K.) and Wiccans (mainly U.S.). "Witch" or "Hex" is accepted by some as a badge of honor, rejected by some as a derogatory term (similar to the N-word).
Now, the reason why I posted this "review" was mostly in response to another review (giving this movie 2/10). Is essence saying "In don't get this, I am from Sweden". My reply is - no, you don't get this, being from Sweden matters not. This could taken place in Poland or Spain. Your country is just known to be one of the last places to have surrendered to the new religions (and yes, we are talking the -mere spec in human history of- 1000 to 500 years). So your country is a logical setting for this film. My country (Holland) was a swamp 1000 years ago, so not a logical setting. Living a modern life, worrying where your next paycheck is coming from, this means nothing to you? If some part of your life however, is in harmony with nature, say "hey, it's spring, yet where is the rain, my lawn is turning brown" - you will have some understanding.
Saying "A Horror-film with Inga and Helga from Sweden - with lots of nudity" will generate income. And no, if that is what you came for, you may not sleep trough the film... or wake up after, say an hour... Wrong feature!
I'm not sure what genre this is, if you like horror, go ahead. If you're attracted by the premises, but don't like this movie? Watch "Hostel" instead! I love that too, but if you like that, and didn't like this? Please come back and rate this in 2040?
But, and "oh, dear", in the title I promised; "and correct from a high-priest's view"... Yes. Well, from a Paga-Wicccan point of view (what I usually call myself), it's all complete nonsense. Even the number of spokes in the wheel of the year is off. While the sun-moon thing is referenced, it's very watered down. Like selecting "pick-n'mix" based on the color brown (may I suggest fresh seasonal forest fruit instead ;-). Jumping off of a cliff however, in a paga-wiccan commune? At that age? Actually living that life? Not my modern western one? Note that the girl at the end (okay - small spoiler) is smiling?
The movie tries to warn you: start with some mind-altering mushrooms?