Midsommar (2019)

Aster delivers a savage, evolved slice of Swedish folk horror that proves him a master of the genre, with hypnotic choreography, strong performances from Florence Pugh and others, and a stealth revisionist take on horror conventions. The constant sunlight setting and sound design heighten the unnerving effect.

Aster has conjured an even madder and more ambitious nightmare set in sunny Sweden, the polar opposite of Hereditary yet every bit as unsettling, with clinical precision in its descent from paradise. It is a visceral, unique, utterly fucked-up experience that demands to be seen on the big screen, with extraordinary performances from Pugh and Reynor.

Ari Aster’s follow-up to Hereditary is another morbid masterpiece full of electrifying performances, dialogue and camerawork that encourages rethinking suicide, euthanasia, mental illness and urban existence. It is the feel-mad movie of the decade, with Florence Pugh never better and a feminist classic ending.

The critic calls the film an outrageous black-comic carnival of agony and a thoroughly enjoyable crescendo of paranoid trippiness that builds to an uproarious grossout. Florence Pugh's performance as the grieving Dani and the film's sensual, self-aware folk-horror atmosphere are singled out for praise.

A deranged and funny folk-horror nightmare with sprawling ambition and a stunning ending that achieves terrible transcendence. The critic praises the film's willingness to embrace the darkest aspects of human desire but notes it is less perfectly crafted than Hereditary.

The critic highlights Florence Pugh’s compelling performance as the anchor for a story of grief and relationship breakdown that leads the protagonist toward a Swedish commune’s rituals. Aster’s film is praised for its tonal range, visual precision, and thematic focus on alienation and tribal belonging, surpassing his previous work in dexterity.

The critic praises the film's bright, dreamy daylight horror and visual command, its exploration of grief and trauma, and Florence Pugh's performance, noting Aster's growing confidence even if it is less overtly frightening than Hereditary.

The film is praised as a consummately crafted cinematic freak-out that positively crackles with hysterical terror, using daylight and exposure rather than darkness for its scares. Pugh's performance as Dani and Aster's handling of emotional trauma and pagan rituals are highlighted.

Midsommar features a standout performance from Florence Pugh and an expertly assembled atmosphere of dread. It is an extremely immersive film experience, even if it lacks the propulsion and all-consuming terror of Hereditary.

Aster’s follow-up to Hereditary disappoints by rehashing similar themes of grief and trauma in a less original way, with the pagan festivities concept underexplored and the gore oddly sedate. Florence Pugh’s performance stands out amid meandering execution and recycled motifs.

The film is an enjoyably daft but long-winded riff on The Wicker Man that effectively uses broad daylight and smiles to cloak darker designs for a time. The novelty wears thin over an overlong runtime, lacking the impact of the original classic.

Aster’s follow-up is a wild, sometimes hypnotic but occasionally overcooked sojourn into surreal horror in a perpetually sunlit Swedish setting. Florence Pugh anchors the film amid bold flourishes that occasionally fall flat and plotting that stumbles at times.

The critic finds Aster's ambitions outpace execution in this strange but thematically muddled folk horror follow-up; it is neither masterpiece nor disaster, with strong visuals and Pugh's performance undermined by slow pacing and thin subplots.

An ambitious but blurry horror trip that offers a sunnier alternative to Hereditary's horrors through a pagan cult story. The critic singles out Florence Pugh's vivid performance and the elemental design of the Hårga village for praise, while faulting the lack of surprises and bifurcated impulses.

The critic views the film as regressive, built backwards around striking horror images rather than developed characters or psychology, with a thin central relationship and a smug critique of cultural relativism and anthropology.

The critic finds the film a daft, hallucinogenic folk-horror in the vein of The Wicker Man, with strong research into European folkloric traditions and excellent art direction and cinematography in constant sunlight. Some fratboy comedy touches and a shift from great to merely very good are noted as minor flaws.

A confident follow-up to Hereditary that is more unsettling than scary. The critic singles out Aster's detailed conception of the Swedish community and its folkways for praise, while noting the film remains too entertained by its exotic rituals to reach deeper emotional depths.

Aster reframes a toxic breakup as folk horror in a bright, hallucinatory Swedish commune setting. The critic singles out Florence Pugh’s raw, dynamic lead performance for particular praise alongside the film’s visuals and unexpected humor.

Aster delivers a deliberate, visually striking mindfuck that mixes dread, gallows humor, and ritual horror without relying on jump scares. The critic highlights Pugh’s nuanced performance and the film’s unsettling yet audience-friendly execution as its strongest elements.

The review calls Midsommar a gorgeous, inventive, and effective folk horror with a standout central performance from Florence Pugh, cementing Aster as a major voice despite not matching Hereditary’s intensity. It notes the film’s rewarding personal story of grief and breakup amid striking daylight visuals and occasional meandering.

The critic describes the film as a disturbing, mind-messing original horror piece with striking visuals and inventive execution by a skilled filmmaker. It singles out the unusual bright daylight setting and graphic human toll for note, while cautioning it is not for everyone.

Aster’s follow-up blends grief, toxic relationships, and pagan ritual into an ambitious, tonally mixed sunlit nightmare that echoes The Wicker Man. The critic praises its grotesque humor-horror fusion and cultural-clash themes while noting it may frustrate some viewers.

The film offers sumptuous visuals and strong early relationship drama but fails to find deeper meaning in its horrors once the festival begins. The critic singles out the impeccable production design and Pugh’s performance while faulting the lack of follow-through and pacing issues.

The critic finds the film muddled and underwritten, with characters making irrational decisions that keep viewers at a distance despite the cult premise. It singles out the striking cinematography for praise while complaining about the lack of character depth and empathy.