Bizarre, but satisfying

Rating: 8/10 (3 July 2019)

Just got out of the theater after the midnight release of Ari Aster's second feature film, Midsommar. My gut reaction was negative, but by putting together different plot points and comparing the attention to detail that was a highlight of his 2018 film Hereditary, I am more than satisfied with the end result. For example, the painting above Dani's bed features a bear and a young girl with some sort of tiara or crown on her head, foreshadowing the gruesome end for her boyfriend.
If you are looking for a summer horror film, you will be disappointed with Midsommar's lack of true evil horror, but will likely come out of the theater feeling satisfied with the substance of the bizarre and wicked coming full circle to create a narrative which, similar to Hereditary, has a more abstract and impactful meaning than simply shock value horror (yet, this aspect is not at all ignored in the movie). Hereditary and Midsommar share a very exclusive genre which bonds intense thrillers with creepy paganism, yet also touches the familial nerve, and illustrates both healthy and unhealthy ways to process grief and relationships, whether they be familial or not.
All in all, the movie was definitely worth the watch for those who are into experimentalist horror films (such as The Wicker Man), but one needs to keep an eye open for important allusions and foreshadowing motifs for over two hours, which can get tiring after a while.