Harrowing and unsettling

Rating: 9/10 (6 August 2019)

Midsommar is a truly unique movie that is unsettling and harrowing to watch. Our heroine Dani is trying to cope with her grief while her boyfriend Christian is ambivalent about his relationship. As they join some friends to visit Sweden, they participate in the village festivity only to find out it is not what they expect. Like the characters, this movie delivers a try unexpected experience. All scenes are beautifully shot: the landscape, the dances, and the interior shots. The score and musical performance in the story convincingly makes you drop your guard and feel at home, yet the quiet stillness and vastness of the setting provides an unnerving atmosphere making you feel domething is off. What adds to the horror is even horror scenes are shot in a lustrous backdrop. The performances in the movie is excellent and even the cult members are believably charming. They even seem normal, which makes it even more disturbing when the movie reaches its climax. I am amazed at the music performed by the actors and the singing. They actually sounded good and could have made for a great musical if Ari Aster had chosen. The flaw would be the plot and lack of character investment but Ari Aster's masterful direction draws you to the events and you are as spellbound as the characters. Though the movie features some gore, it is used very judiciously. But for me the most terrifying aspect of the movie is how even the most beautiful setting could be used to create such horror. I am not sure if others would like the movie but it took me an hour to recover after watching it, so I highly recommend watching this movie before arriving upon any judgment. This is a movie to be viewed and experienced.