i think it’s finally time for me to admit to myself that — no matter how hard i try — Ari Aster and i absolutely do not match. 

i was not keen on Hereditary, and i was not on this either. and although i can easily agree that the former is a well constructed film that i just could not find any emotional attachment with, i have no doubts in saying that Midsommar is literally a confused film that spends an unjustifiable length of time wallowing in its themes that aren’t as deep as it thinks they are.

it is easy to tell that Aster is good at what he does, and while he reins his talents in his debut feature, carefully controlling and wielding his abilities, he lets them run loose here, and that level of self-awareness becomes exhausting and obnoxious as the film drags on. 

the best parts of the film are terribly trumped by the rest of the mess going on. Florence Pugh gives her all to a character that allows her barely anything to work with, and the sublime score is terribly misplaced. the cinematography and production design are great, but the plot gives little weight to them.

every element that was remotely interesting about Hereditary are stretched so thin in Midsommar to the point that they feel like the work of an impersonator trying to copy them. this is honestly a take i wish i didn’t have right now, but what do y’all see in this film?