Midsommar Spoiler-Free Review: Florence Pugh Gives One Of The Best Performances Of The Year!

Midsommar is a indie folk horror film directed by Ari Aster best known for his most recent work in 2018’s most talked about & critically acclaimed horror films Hereditary which was not only met with praise across the board by everyone, but has been called one of the best modern age horror films of the decade. Midsommar has already begun to see a similar amount of praise by audiences everywhere as once again one of the best films to come out of 2019, & some of the best work of Ari Aster’s career. So you can imagine the expectations fans had going into this one.

The story centers around 5 friends who are invited to a midsummer Festival in a remote undisclosed village taking place in Sweden. Dani played by Florence Pugh who’s parents & sister passes away in an unspeakable tragedy is barely able to cope with the loss & is left in mourning while also doing her best to keep the last remaining relationship she has left alive with her boyfriend Jack played by Jack Reynor.

Jack feeling immense pressure from his friends William played by William Jackson Harper, Pelle played Vihelm Blomgren, & Mark played by Wil Poulter, while also now having to be Dani’s one & only anchor left, is having a hard time deciding on whether to end or continue his relationship with Dani, & chooses to go on a road trip to take his mind off from all the stress alongside his friends & girlfriend to visit Pelle’s family in Sweden for a much needed vacation.

Once the gang gets there, they’re met by a group of strange & mysterious villagers who very early on in the film give off the vibe of a sinister ploy at work, eventually putting the lives of Jack & his friends in danger.

I’ll choose to stop there, so I don’t end up spoiling the film for anyone that hasn’t gotten the chance to see it yet.

It’s a slow burn that takes its time to unravel the mystery surrounding Pelle’s family & why their festival only takes place every 90 years. The film does a great job of keeping you unsettled all the way through but also completely invested in a story that is not initially what you’ll expect to see in a horror movie. It’s got a few great comedic moments to it that helps lighten up the ominous tone this film sets off, as well as a strong & all around likable cast that audiences will quickly grow to love very early on within the story. I left the theater in shock & bit confused from how it ended, but for the most part appreciated the unique approach Ari Aster took with this film.

I know I may get some heat for this, but I wasn’t as fond of this movie like everyone else. I don’t hate it, but I’m not entirely in love with it either. It was okay for me. It’s got some great scary moments that will for sure not only have you on edge, but also causes you to put into thought of just how real a situation like the one Jack & his friends were in can actually be. This film in no way feels generic & is definitely unlike anything people have seen before within the horror genre. Which is probably the main reason people enjoy Ari Aster’s work so much. He does his best to deliver something different than what we’re all used to, & doesn’t just try to be shocking for the sake of it, but instead is able to tell a solid enough story with well written characters that will leave you talking for days on end long after the film is over.

The strongest standout for me has gotta be without a doubt Florence Pugh. Don’t get me wrong the rest of the cast was great too, but I thought Florence Pugh easily gave the strongest performance not only in this movie, but probably one of the best performances I’ve had the pleasure of seeing this year. Out of all the movies to come out of 2019 so far, Florence Pugh managed to grab my attention the most, & just carries this entire film on her own.

 She’s unquestionably fantastic the entire way through, & literally steals  every scene she’s in. This might be too early to say, but I really hope the academy nominates her for the 2019’s Oscars. The chances may be low due to the upcoming competition of films coming this fall, but I believe she deserves to be acknowledged for how great of an actress she truly is. It’s not a joke. She’s THAT good! I may not have liked Midsommar as much as others, but I’d see it again in a heartbeat just for Ms. Pugh. Easily.

Her next film will see her starring alongside Scarlett Johansen in the long awaited & highly most anticipated Marvel solo film Black Widow. Her role & the plot are as of right now are unknown, but it has been heavily rumored that Florence Pugh will be playing the character Yelena Belova who many fans may already know as the second woman to don the mantle of Black Widow in the comics, & is trained by the same people who trained Natasha Romanoff to act as her successor. That is some really exciting news in itself, & I can not wait to go see this when it comes out. Marvel is already on a high coming off strong with both Avengers: Endgame and Spiderman: Far From Home. So it’s no surprise that Disney would take the opportunity to bring on even more amazing talent for future projects they have planned for the foreseeable future of their overall beloved cinematic universe headed by Kevin Feige. Disney & Marvel Studios couldn’t have gotten a better actress than Florence Pugh for a film like this. Really excited to see what she can do, & where her career goes from here, & I think we’ll all be seeing a lot more her in much bigger roles very soon. I’m sure of it.

So I gotta say, even though this movie didn’t hit all the marks for me, I appreciate the different take Ari Aster bought to Midsommar, & I believe anyone who’s a fan of Hereditary will probably have a great time watching this. Even if you’re someone who may not have seen herditary at all beforehand (like myself) & are going in with fresh eyes, I’d say give it a go. It might surprise you, & you may end up loving the heck out of it by the end. Always judge a film based on your own opinions and not the opinions of others.

That’s the end of my review. Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Go see Midsommar this week, & see where it lands for you. If you want to reach us, send us your thoughts to our pages on @Earth2ComicCast & @Tweet_JVS. Enjoy your day everyone, & stay safe out there. Peace!