Midsommar (2019)

Midsommar was a surprisingly more pleasant film than I was expecting. Don't get me wrong this was still a quite disturbing film to watch but I was expecting a lot more. Particularly more body horror which as I said was horrific enough I could live a hundred lives and still not get the image of them bashing in that guy's head. However I was also expecting a large number of other scenes but I feel as if that was the worst of everything so as awful as it was to watch I was glad that was the only really gruesome part. I was also surprised that the dolls made from human skin at the end didn't creepy me out but something about them was so obviously fake that it did nothing to phase me. That does not mean however that the narrative of this story didn't disturb me enough.

Opening the movie to this storyline of Dani and the dynamic they shared with her sister I felt was such an interesting approach. I knew from general knowledge of the film that Dani (Florence Pugh's character) was going to be the highlight of the film and her journey with joining a cult which meant I was expecting her to have a tragic backstory. It seems to come as second nature with cult films that the main character has some traumatic past that they need help overcoming because that is the easiest opportunity to take advantage of someone. But I was not expecting it to be so tragic. They could have just as easily made her backstory that she lost her parents and were feeling lost but instead they took it one step further by including her sister who frequently has mental health issues. Adding this narrative that her sister has a long standing past with struggling mentally meant that there was that brief moment when she convinced herself it was another bipolar episode when she received the message of her sister taking her own life. Which was only highlighted by her boyfriend only for it to later be revealed that it was actually carried out this time. It was so much more of a devastating blow that it truly shows the audience how raw and deep the pain ran and how much harder the situation was going to be. Making it an even easier access point for this person going through difficult times to be initiated.

I also thought the writers did such a good job at making us hate Christian for a large part of the film. I mean the second he was telling Dani to calm down about her very valid concerns I knew he was going to be an asshole and that only grew as time went on. It was in the little details of his character such as planning on breaking up with Dani because he wanted to go on this partying trip in Sweden, of which the trip took place during her birthday. So even when he never broke up with her he was still planning on going on the trip alone on her birthday. Then there was the moment he pressured her into taking mushrooms but framed it as her freedom of choice! That was more diabolical than if he had straight up told her to take them and shut up because of how manipulative it was to make him still remain the 'good guy' since Dani had been the one to make the decision not him even though it was clear they were pressuring her because they all wanted to have the same trip. Just nasty work. And then it began to spread as he took the idea to write his thesis on the same people that Josh was. The whole reason they were even there is because it was part of Josh's research, one that he had spent time and energy in preparing for yet Josh comes along and on a spur of the moment just randomly decided completely undercutting his authority. Every move he made seemed to make me like him less which already started low but for that same reason made it so much worse when he reached his fate.

Of course I thought the moves Chris made were not made in good taste which is what we were supposed to feel. We were supposed to realise how gross this man was because then it put us in the same position as Dani. We follow Dani with her story through the whole two hours and for that reason we align more with her so whenever her boyfriend is acting dodgy we feel it just the same way she does. The same sentiment follows with how she begins to get isolated from not just Chris but his friendship group, we see how downwardly they speak to her which again creates that distance. To the point that when we consider Dani's view on what happened with Chris, the moment she leaves the field he cheats on her, we understood why she agrees to have him killed. After seeing him undermine her emotions in every way and seemingly taking the first chance to get with someone else it's at least understandable why she would make that decision to have him join the others in the temple. However we were given more details than Dani was, such as him being drugged twice and being highly pressured into a situation where that seems your only choice. We have already seen how violent this community is with bashing the heads of the elders so it is safe to say why wouldn't do the same if he didn't comply. It adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative that makes us sympathetic for the character as no matter how he acted it was a fate that no one deserved to be forced into. That being said he was used frequently as a scape goat for the cult to worm their way to Dani.

At the start of the film we already knew Dani was going to be different. Not purely because of her vulnerable state but through the devices that hinted towards her. One such example of this is when they first make their way to the larger estate and Dani takes a different path. While heading to the field they all take the same turn right but there is a lessened walked turn right that we see only Dani take. It is a small action that seems to equate to no real outcome since both lead to the same point however it shows us that from the very start Dani was singled out. She was starting her journey at a much different place than all the others which is why she was the only one to survive and stay. A plot device I was never expecting to happen. I was really waiting for the moment when it would 'click' what is happening to Dani as she realises that as she gets closer she is creating more casualties and has to get out before it is too late. That is where I thought Maja would come into play, the second we had her pull main focus I knew she would play a large part but I underestimated the role she would play. I was under the impression that this film would have Dani half join the cult before realising how truly horrific they are and getting help from Maja who was in the cult but not fully believing in it so she would help her escape. That could not have been further from the truth, Maja was in fact very deeply devoted to the cult.

It is an approach I thought quite interested because it does show how easy someone in need can be initiated. As I said Dani was already going through a difficult time having lost both her parents and her sister so it was already working in the cults favour because she was at a loss and needed a purpose. But what's more they found every chance to show Dani how much better they were than her usual life. It sounds horrible to say that I think a large contribution to her joining is because of Chris but I think it's true. That's not me placing all blame on him because that is a very broad overarching statement to make, I simply mean that because he was such a dick it made it so much easier for the people in the cult to make her belong. It's an interesting parallel to me of this couple versus the other couple with Simon and Connie. This is the biggest difference to me within the movie, is that Chris for whatever reason wanted to stay and for that reason managed to convince Dani to also stay. Thinking on it that is a moment of irony considering if he had listened to his partner at all they would have left and both been spared yet he makes her stay and she ends up being the final thread of his death. But it also shows how they are always at a divide and never agree so can not make a change. Where as Connie and Simon are on the same page after the older people fell off the clift that they stay together and instantly agree to leave. A mode which I myself would do, I'm not being disrespectful but if I see someone bash another's head in culturally or otherwise I'm fucking leaving. Which makes it so much more interesting when they end up split apart due to the controling forces of the cult.

It's a question that stays with me, we know what happened to Simon as we see him used in the final ritual however we never see Connie again. I thought at first this was their way of ensuring she stayed while the men leave and yet she too ended up disappearing but rather than seeing the bodies like the others she completely disappears. That in itself seems more terrifying. Anyway the point I am trying to make is that whenever Chris seems to mess up Pelle is there. And when his friends don't accept her into the group he does. When she comes over to talk about the trip every person leaves one by one until it is just Pelle and Dani where he encourages her saying he thinks the trip is a good idea. We now know this was all part of the plan to get more to join the congregation but for Dani it's the first person who doesn't run at the sight of her. And then on her birthday when Chris seems to forget Pelle is there offering a drawing of her. Not just a simple gift but a hand drawn, thought out drawing specifically for her making her feel special. It puts to shame the cake Chris attempts to sing around because it has a lack of true thought and emotions. It also doesn't help that Pelle says he too lost his parents so they are able to connect emotionally on a certain level. By Pelle admitting he has felt the same and it is this group that helped him she is going to be more open to the same experiences which is exactly what happens.

I also feel I should mention how amazing it was for Pelle and his new brother to both die in a fire. Not amazing for him (obviously) but having him tell this story of how his parents died in a fire only to later have him also died in a fire felt so narratively tasty. It was like they came full circle and then also having this new person come into your life that you see as a brother and he dies with you in the same fire. I just loved it! All members of his family ended up dying in a fire. However as great as I thought that moment was I do feel I should honestly admit I found the mouth breathing a little amusing. I am well aware many cultures do use this breathy way of panting as part of their songs and rituals and that in itself is not a problem I even think it was interesting, it was just the context at which they were doing it. Someone more educated than myself please tell me if this is a genuine practice that they pulled inspiration from but from my personal stand point if I was crying freaking out after catching my partner 'cheating' and everyone surrounded me and was copying what I was doing I would freak out more. I understand why it would be seen as a therapy technique to show they're not alone but as someone who would rather die than cry in front of someone I don't know the fact they were copying and sometimes harmonising with the painful noises was just a bit much for me. And it was the same when they were burning the temple and when Chris was going through the mating ritual. It was all just too much which I suppose was purposeful to show how uniquely unsettling they are.

To summarise I thought the way they showed joining a cult and the decision and difficulties that may lead to that situation was very interesting to watch. I did not like the gore but I would definitely watch it again and recommend it to certain audiences. I also thought it was particularly interesting for them to end the film with Dani smiling as a way of seemingly acknowledging her love for this new community. I think it was very smart of them to have Dani win May Queen because at a moment when she has been struggling so heavily in this new situation having her briefly be the one in charge showed her how great things can be. So having her stay and take back her courage and autonomy by agreeing to kill Chris was such a good decision narratively especially when I was waiting the whole time for her 'i need to get out' moment. And that moment never came. All the way upto the end I was telling myself 'but she will get out soon' and it wasn't until that final shot when she looked at the barn and smiled that it really set in that was never going to come. I was even thinking that at that moment when she pulled focus she'd horrifically realise her decision but she didn't and instead seemed proud. Which was all the more monumental and great to see.