Alright. My further thoughts on Midsommar.
Midsommar follows closely upon the heels of Hereditary in a thematic sense. Once again, Aster explores gender, grief, and mental illness. Much like Hereditary, framing and angles are heavily relied upon to create a sense of dissonance and to show the very realistic ways in which mental illness attacks the very foundations of our closest relationships. Lighting and music build into a perfect crescendo of horror in the final moments.
However, in many ways Midsommar far outdoes Hereditary. Aster shows his continued mastery of Chekov’s gun; the alert viewer will note that he tells us every plot point well before it happens - sometimes by a full hour or more. The horror comes in realising when, where, and against whose head Chekov’s gun will go off - and our helplessness as we watch the characters come to that realisation themselves.
Midsommar is also riddled with easter eggs that have no obvious bearing on the plot, but which enhance the overall tone and mood of the film. Some have to do with Swedish culture, others with Nordic mythology, still others with interpretations of that mythology. In one early scene, the centre of the frame is quietly occupied by a book sitting buried in a mess of papers on the coffee table as the action happens around it. The book is entitled something along the lines of “Nazi Secrets of the Futhark.” No, Nazis do not appear in the film, but those familiar with the Nazis’ occult usage of runes will have some idea of where this is all headed.
In fact, Futhark is everywhere in this film. Those passingly familiar with the runes will easily spot them. I only wish I was more closely familiar with them so that I could know exactly what each signified, as I have no doubt they were chosen with care. When the film is widely released on streaming, I intend to go through it with a fine tooth comb and a Futhark dictionary.
And how much can I possibly praise Florence Pugh? Her acting throughout is impeccable. I have rarely seen anyone so accurately portray what it’s like to experience PTSD and the disassociation and panic attacks that come from it. Her grief is overwhelming, as is the obvious burden of emotional labour which she is forced to uphold in her failing relationship. She more than proves herself as a dramatic talent, and Aster has proved himself yet again as more than capable of sensitively writing and directing a woman’s perspective.
I will add some major caveats: this film is perhaps not for you if you have issues with gore. The moments are brief, but emotionally extreme and unforgiving (think Pascal Laugier’s 2008 film Martyrs). This film also deals closely with suicide, particularly in the first fifteen minutes. As I said above, Pugh convincingly portrays what it feels like to heavily dissociate and have panic attacks due to PTSD, which may be triggering to those (such as myself) who have dealt with those problems. Finally, there is a sex scene which could very arguably be read as a rape.
I cannot recommend this film more. It has immediately jumped to my top 10 in the best horror films of all time, and it only improves - if possible - on the most impressive aspects of Hereditary. Aster yet again reminds us of the fundamental truth of the horror genre: horror is not about being afraid. Horror is about being horrified.
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