Movie · 2019 · Horror, Drama, Mystery · 2h 27m · R · English
Curator score: 6.5/10 (4M ratings)
Let the festivities begin.
Overview
Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.
Ratings
Curator score: 6.5/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.75/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 72
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Ari Aster
Production
B-Reel Films, Square Peg
Cast
Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter, Vilhelm Blomgren, Isabelle Grill, Gunnel Fred, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, Henrik Norlén, Agnes Westerlund Rase, Julia Ragnarsson, Mats Blomgren, Lars Väringer, Anna Åström, Hampus Hallberg, Liv Mjönes, Louise Peterhoff, Katarina Weidhagen, Björn Andrésen
Where to watch
Max
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually hypnotic folk-horror breakup nightmare that turns grief, codependency, and ritual into something both beautiful and grotesque. It’s not subtle, but its emotional intensity, production design, and escalating dread make it a standout for viewers who want horror with real psychological weight.
Best for
fans of elevated horror and art-house dread
viewers interested in grief, trauma, and toxic relationships
people who like unsettling folk rituals and slow-burn escalation
audiences drawn to striking cinematography and production design
Skip if
you want straightforward scares or a fast pace
you dislike graphic body horror and distressing imagery
you prefer horror that leaves its symbolism more ambiguous
you’re not in the mood for bleak relationship drama wrapped in horror
Overview
Midsommar is a daylight horror film that weaponizes beauty. Ari Aster sets a breakup story inside a sun-bleached pagan commune, and the result is equal parts emotionally raw and deeply unnerving. The film’s power comes from the way it makes grief, loneliness, and manipulation feel as oppressive as the rituals themselves.
Worth noting
Florence Pugh anchors the movie with a performance that keeps the emotional stakes alive even when the imagery becomes surreal or grotesque. The supporting cast and the immaculate production design help create a world that feels seductively ordered at first, then increasingly inhuman. It’s a horror film that lingers because it understands how vulnerability can be exploited.
Bottom line
This is not an easy watch, and it’s not meant to be. But for viewers who like horror that doubles as a psychological autopsy, it offers a rare mix of visual grandeur, thematic bite, and escalating unease. It’s one of the defining folk-horror films of the last decade.
Top Letterboxd reviews
#1 gizmo fan (3.5★) · 44903 likes
Imagine being left out of your family's suicide lmao
Sarah Weyland (5★) · 28338 likes
always great to see a feel-good movie about traveling, recognizing your worth & wearing fun new accessories as you leave a toxic relationship. :) getting rid of a shitty boyfriend can be a real bear.
Limmy (4★) · 26622 likes
My favourite bit is the cliff jump. And my favourite bit about the cliff jump is the old guy fucking it up. Why did he think he could just fall feet first like that and die? I mean, what was he thinking? His wife got it spot on, and he goes and fucks it up. What an embarrassment. It makes you wonder if it was typical of him. We never find out much about the pair of them, but you… more My favourite bit is the cliff jump. And my favourite bit about the cliff jump is the old guy fucking it up. Why did he think he could just fall feet first like that and die? I mean, what was he thinking? His wife got it spot on, and he goes and fucks it up. What an embarrassment. It makes you wonder if it was typical of him. We never find out much about the pair of them, but you… more
andrea (5★) · 24981 likes
i am SO glad ari aster clearly never went to therapy
˗ˏˋ suspirliam ˊˎ˗ (5★) · 22301 likes
cute couples costume idea for all the happy couples out there:
💐🌺🌼 🐻🌼☺️🌸 ✌️👕✌️🌷🌻🌹 👞👞