Ambitious but Overlong

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2019)

First off, anyone who planned to see this movie
should go in with an open mind. It's a movie going experience that is very difficult to describe. Ari Aster film delivers on being very disturbing and gruesome but suffers from major pacing issues.
The good: the cinematography, acting, colors and music are nearly flawless. It is one of the most technically stunning films you will see. The music makes the film all the more unsettling at times and the camera shots can linger for so long it begins to make you nervous. The acting is solid specifically from Pugh. Will Poulter is funny at times and intentionally annoying as almost all his characters are. If you were expecting hereditary part 2, you may want to reconsider.
While this film just gets crazier and crazier as it goes, it can be hard to forget that this story is Dani's and that's where you will find what this movie is truly about. It's about an unstable relationship that decays and eventually explodes and forces a new cycle of self-discovery. You will probably need to read articles or watch videos on this movie when you come out like I did.
Now on to the issues. This movie is long. And I enjoy long movies. Hereditary was perfectly paced but there are numerous scenes in this movie that could be trimmed down or cut. People will say it adds to the movie as a whole but some don't. Also, there are supposed to be some genuinely unsettling scenes but almost everyone in the theater burst out laughing. Nudity can be a hard thing to take seriously when it's showed like this, but I understand that some pagan rituals actually do that, so i understand where it's coming from. While the climax is far from as unforgettable as hereditary, the story does come full circle and will leave you with an unsettling final shot.
Overall, Aster's sophomore film doesn't reach the heights of hereditary, but still provides much of what people loved about that movie. You will most likely walk out of the theater thinking wtf did I just watch, but that's the point. It's a film that requires multiple viewings and some research to truly appreciate. Go see it to form your own opinion though because this could end up being more divisive than hereditary.