In terms of visibility, Midsommar can’t compete with summer movie titans like Spider-Man: Far From Home or Toy Story 4 or [place random Disney movie here]. It’s an original idea from a boutique film studio (A24) with a small budget and no A-list stars, even if Florence Pugh should already have an Oscar for her performance in Lady Macbeth. For the film to do well at the box office, it needs strong word of mouth. Well, based on the reactions that poured onto Twitter following the movie’s premiere on Tuesday, Midsommar is going to do very well.
Written and directed by Ari Arster (Hereditary), Midsommar is about a young couple, played by Pugh and Jack Reynor, who travel with their friends to Sweden to visit a sun-soaked village hosting a festival that’s held once every 90 years. If you’ve seen the trailer, or literally any horror movie, you know things aren’t quite what they seem. That’s not a surprise — but you know what is shocking? Midsommar is really funny (intentionally so, not like the Danzig movie). It’s also creepy with truly sickening acts of violence, of course, but I found myself laughing, a lot. Is there an Austin Powers reference? Yeah, baby.
We’ll have a full review of Midsommar before the film hits theaters on July 3 (here’s a tease), but for now, let’s check in with the night-of reactions, most of which are extremely positive. That Jordan Peele fellow was onto something!
https://twitter.com/lindseyromain/status/1141178125746941952
#Midsommar: Aster has gifted a new generation their THE WICKER MAN. It’s a warm invitation into subtle madness, decked out in pastel reassurance. My lord. Almost 150 minutes FLIES by. Masterful mania played with such festivity. I…love it?
— Matt Donato (@DoNatoBomb) June 19, 2019
Going to join the chorus and say I absolutely loved #Midsommar. Ari Aster nails guttural, raw emotion. But this time? So much joy and humor with the fucked up pain. Legit feel good horror for me.
— Meagan Navarro (@HauntedMeg) June 19, 2019
#Midsommar is fucking hilarious and that’s actually not a joke. It’s a lot of other things too, sure, but let’s focus on what’s important.
— Haleigh Foutch (@HaleighFoutch) June 19, 2019
#MIDSOMMAR is truly something special and it will also fuck up your entire life. The “Break-Up” movie of the decade.
— matt hardeman 🐀 (@capnnarcolepsy) June 19, 2019
I was super nervous going into #MIDSOMMAR because of my deep love for Hereditary, but holy shit you guys, @MidsommarMovie is a masterpiece
— Shannon | #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@shannon_mcgrew) June 19, 2019
Like his previous film, Ari Aster’s #MIDSOMMAR is an unsettling portrait of grief & how it can consume us from within. Lots more thoughts swimming around in my head (LOTS) but those will be in my review out sometime tomorrow. 🌸🌺🌼🌺🌸🌼🌸🌼🌺🌸🌺🌼
— Heatherface Wixson (@thehorrorchick) June 19, 2019
Visceral. Gut-wrenching. Hilarious. Brutal. Depraved. Refreshing. Aster delivers a terrorizing take on codependency and emotional sacrifice in the most illuminating manner. Loved it. 💀🌸🌻 @MidsommarMovie #MIDSOMMAR
— Marisa Mirabal (@Marisa_Mirabal) June 19, 2019
Ari Aster’s #Midsommar is one of the most gorgeous, completely dreadful experiences. Florence Pugh is a quiet riot.
— Matt Donnelly (@MattDonnelly) June 19, 2019
Check out the trailer above.
