"Midsommar" Review

Fresh off the success of "Hereditary," Ari Aster has delivered yet another shocking horror masterpiece that will have people talking about it for years. The story focuses on Dani, a young woman who suffers an enormous loss at the very beginning of the film. All the while, she is in an unhappy relationship with Christian. Through a series of awkward events, Dani ends up joining Christian and some other men on a trip to Sweden for the summer holiday of Midsommar.

The film has exquisite cinematography throughout, with bold visuals that enhance the symbolism inspired by fairy tale tropes and dynamic camera shots that make the visual experience more interesting to watch. Ari Aster has developed a truly excellent directorial approach to make full use of the visual side of storytelling that doesn't always have to rely on dialogue to communicate with the audience.

Though the story might be something people are watching in the hopes of experiencing fear and suspense, as is often the case with horror, there is a much more meaningful layer to the story due to the tumultuous relationship between Dani and Christian. In many ways the film is more so about the gaslighting one can experience in a toxic relationship and how empowering and cathartic it can be to move on from that.

Those with a particular sensitivity to gore may have difficulty with seeing the film, but if you are familiar with the labour that goes into practical effects for body horror it is easy to see the more gruesome parts for what they are: movie magic.