Scandi Wicker

Rating: 8/10 (26 January 2020)

Not really a horror film, more a disturbing, psychological insight into grief. Midsommar is the first pagan break-up movie, which has a major nod to The Wicker Man.
This film has brutal violence, the deaths are shocking and gruesome. And the orgies are a little awkward. But it isn't a horror film. This is about what happens when you drop a fragile relationship into the most extreme of circumstances.
Florence Pugh is fantastic - fact. She is always fantastic - fact. One memorable scene where she collapses on to the floor under the weight of her own anguish, wailing like an animal. But Reynor is also decent, reacting to everything like a deer in headlights. His coping mechanism is to straight out refuse to process anything that's happening to him.
The film, which stretches to nearly three hours, is in no rush to reach its horrifying conclusion. It never dragged and you feel like one of the characters, uncertain about the impending situation. This is strange and distressing stuff, punishing at times. But a film filled with ideas, images, and feelings that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.