Midsommar (2019)
Dir- Ari Aster
When the subject of cults films is brought up, the 1973 English film The Wicker Man is considered by most fans and critics to be one of the best horror movies involving cult behavior. Director Ari Aster surely used The Wicker Man as an influence for his 2019 film Midsommar starring Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor. Midsommar has a group of Amerian college students traveling to Sweden at the behest of a classmate who invites them to observe a summer festival that occurs every 90 years in his small town. Dani (Pugh) is going through some family turmoil and is finding that it is affecting her relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Reynor). The community they visit is friendly but isolated in the northern reaches of Sweden, as her boyfriend and classmate use the opportunity to study the culture of the commune. Dani is still reeling from a family tragedy, but the events of the community take a dark turn when the outsiders encounter some of the more taboo customs. Director Ari Aster impressed horror fans, and critics with 2018's deeply disturbing family horror Hereditary, some of the themes found in Hereditary are noticeable in Midsommar most notably the slow break down of trust between a couple and the well-meaning friend who is hiding their true intentions. Midsommar is not as taxing on the soul as Hereditary but the slow burn of the over two hours runtime may push fans of horror more accustomed to 90 min slashers, the film does pack a punch with an ending that may be as controversial as Hereditary. I enjoyed the cast and setting of the film as well as a plot that in the preview screams Wicker Man but shows once again that Ari Aster is emerging as a new Master of Horror.
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