There are elements of greatness to Midsommar that are undeniable but I treat each review with how I valued the movie and not necessarily the merits I can objectively see. The production is incredible and the design is used in interesting ways that emphasis all of the effort that was put into pulling it all together. However, and I know I am regretfully kicking at someone a lot of people loved and I wanted to love, I just didn’t think Midsommar was a great movie and I found it often to be superficial.
I normally connect to the oddities that come out of A24 a bit more, but I just couldn’t do that here. The characters all ended up feeling apart from the scenarios they were in, and not in an artistic way but in a nonsensical way that felt like the script was in the room with us most scenes. The situations were all just too much fantasy and the characters universally reacted with words and emotions that did not make sense unless we accept that they have to make sense for the goals of the story.
I have no doubt that the director, Ari Aster, is extremely talented. I still need to watch his other work, Hereditary has especially been on my list for some time. I am hoping to see an equal amount of strength in the story as I found in the atmosphere here. For someone like me, who often feels most at home with movies that take place in a single place, I felt my patience was going to be rewarded with Midsommar rather than wanting the time back that I spent.
I am glad people enjoy the movie more than me. I feel like they should. There is a treatment to grief that I feel it is good to consider. Ultimately it feels like a modern take on the slasher movies of old, with very patient shots and the destination taking priority.