New Ari Aster Horror Film ‘Midsommar’ Holds Its Own Over The Weekend
Director Ari Aster is back at it again with another horror film. The recently released movie, Midsommar is sure to keep you sleeping with the lights on for weeks. This is the second major movie that Aster released, his first being the smash hit Hereditary starring Toni Collette and Alex Wolff in 2018. Hereditary started out casual enough but slowly burned into what critics have since called one of the most disturbing horror films of all time. Now it seems that Midsommar might have the chance to outdo Hereditary’s earnings, according to Forbes.
In terms of comparison, it’s important to note that if you’re hoping to see another movie like Hereditary, you won’t find it in Aster’s new film. Hereditary was a dark, mentally unsettling piece. Meanwhile, Midsommar puts a whole new spin on what a horror film really is. The story follows an American couple that travels with a group of friends to Sweden to attend what they expect to be a fun and lighthearted festival. Instead, they get mixed up in a bizarre cult. Rather than having the film take place in the dark like most horror films, Aster uses the element of light to his advantage. The sun shines bright in nearly every scene, even the most terrifying ones. This adds further to the sense that something is off, as light is often used in cinema to create a sense of safety.
Midsommar took home $10.6 million between Wednesday and Sunday. Of course, the film is facing some tough competition. Spider-Man: Far From Home made $180 million during the six-day holiday weekend launch. Annabelle 3, the third in a terrifying trilogy, is also out right now. Thus far, it has snagged $49.8 million.
Can’t get over the cinematography in Midsommar (2019) pic.twitter.com/aR5xrc7YvZ
— Omar (@omarrgalaviz) July 6, 2019
So what are people saying about this new spin on horror?
Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave it four stars.
“Set in broad daylight, during the time of Northern Europe’s midnight sun, this horror movie isn’t about getting the creeps so much as it is about the slow, methodical unmasking of horrors most human.”
Adam Graham of the Detroit News was also all for it, according to Rotten Tomatoes. He too enjoyed the way that Aster used the element of light, something that is rather new for this genre.
“Midsommar gets it right. This twisted daylit nightmare is a masterpiece of mood, all the more disturbing since it’s set entirely underneath the bright, beating sun. Anyone can be scared of the dark. Ari Aster makes you scared of the light.”
