Midsommar Review

Midsommar Brings a Female Character with Depth Amidst the Controversial Gore

by Aariel Portera

You might be familiar with the unusual works of A24 and Ari Astor; now notorious with out-of-the-box film concepts that bend the horror genre away from the typical slasher or ghost story variety. The usual horror films are riddled with female protagonists and side characters with little to no purpose except as fodder to be stripped and drenched in blood.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when watching Ari Astor’s latest drama (I have a hard time viewing it as a horror), and noticing that damn, this girl has some real depth to her. The main character Dani (portrayed by Florence Pugh, who puts her all into what must have been an emotionally demanding role), is first seen going through a family tragedy which leaves her vulnerable in a different sense than most scary movies want us to experience. When she and her boyfriend and his college chums set off to Sweden to take part in a summer festival at the communal home of their friend and fellow student Pelle, Dani is in a place now both physically and emotionally alien to her.

What begins as a charming folk festival ends in gore, but through her time at this harrowing event, Dani shows a strength and shifting of her desires as she embraces that she deserves to be loved and cared for as she hasn’t ever let herself be in the past. This new discovery of her own strength to decide her fate brings us a protagonist that evolves and watching that evolution is part of what makes this almost voyeuristic film so compelling. Her reactions are genuine, but her resolve is what ultimately makes the climatic moments of the film worth it.

Dani is not the only female that breaks free of the typical in this story. It’s a film rife with symbolism and much of it suggests female empowerment. Although the society does not seem to be a matriarchy, there is a strong feeling that the women of the community are more valued than in other cultures. While there are many important roles in the community that are filled by men, the head of the commune is a woman, and her character gives off an authoritative but also nurturing calm that I feel shows the quiet strength a female leader can embody.

Another note on this film is an interesting artistic choice made by actor Jack Reynor, who plays Dani’s conflicted and somewhat unempathetic boyfriend Christian. When faced with a chance to be clothed or naked and vulnerable, he chose the latter, saying it was time a man exploited in a horror film for once. It was a brave choice, and one that actually made sense for the scene and the character.

While strange and dreamlike even at its most brutal moments, Midsommar is not for the faint of heart. However, in this new take on the horror genre, it’s nice to see some real human flaws and strengths instead of vapid stereotypes.