Review of Midsommar (2019) by Shpostal — 08 Jul 2019

Another film by Ari Aster, his second actually that follows on the heels of "Hereditary", one of the most truly creepy movies about quasi-religious practices, and takes us to a very remote Swedish village that annoyingly to me and hence one star deduction is completely out of the public and law enforcement eye, where the people are free to carry on a very strange Pagan (i.

E., not Christian) religious ceremony that turns gruesome and macabre as the film progresses. After losing her family in a terrible suicide/murder, the heroine is taken along on supposedly a vacation/field trip with friends working on ph.

D thesis' and one a resident of this weird community. And it doesn't take long to see where this is going. Anybody who has ever read the legendary short story by Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" will immediately relate that horror tale with the premise of "Midsommer".

Aster seems genuinely interested in Pagan lore and their various religions and rituals. That in itself is interesting. But inevitable questions of mind control, the ability to resist or escape surface quickly and are not really addressed.

Nonetheless, the film allows the story to progress without pesky law enforcement ever wondering about disappearances of some of the "volunteers" the villagers "pick" for the ceremonies for a good harvest and whatever else at a really gruesome climax.

But it can be viewed as a cautionary tale. People are infamous for cognitive dissonance capabilities, and here it's especially strong. But it applies to religion as well as politics and other forms of mass mental control of the species as well, as impressionable and naturally frightened and/or gullible seek solace and comfort in artificial constructs, and with the mental block necessary to achieve the effects desired allow themselves to be programmed into perfect participants in a myriad of social activities.

"Midsommar" is a very black sometimes even very darkly humored film that will appeal to those who like having their minds played with for a few hours, but could come across as deeply disturbing to others.

But it's splendidly acted, the scenery beautiful and a good addition to people who like their horror to be of the mind melting type as opposed to cliched idiotic slasher flicks.