Does he feel like family to you? Does he feel like home?
These were the questions Dani was asked of her boyfriend, Christian.
An American couple is in danger of their relationship falling apart. Held on by too many stitches, we get the sense that he is unkind to her, and has fallen out of love: the beginning of the movie sees him and his friends shit talking about her and that he had wanted out of the relationship for a year.
Dani has a complicated family life. Her sister is bipolar and left her a cryptic email ultimately ending in death. Having lost her entire family to a gas leak that night, Dani decides to join her boyfriend and his 3 friends to Sweden. Christian and a friend of his are doing their college thesis on Mid-summer celebrations. One such is happening in rural Sweden. Reeling from such intense loss, Dani suffers from intense anxiety and loss of belonging.
Unbeknownst to the group, their lives were up in the air. Uncertain what would happen on this mysterious and idyllic trip.
One of the friends, Pelle, an international student, is from Sweden; where the celebration was to be held in a large commune community where everyone is family in this pagan cult.
The friends, plus a couple from England, stick out amongst the white donned clansmen and their flower crowns. Everyone upon arrival takes a “tea” that “closed off your inhibitions and opened up your being”. Or where given buds of mushroom.
They arrived on Dani’s birthday, of course Christian had forgotten, but not Pelle who considered her “home”.
Over the 9 day celebration, they witness this culture that, in of itself is twisted, spiritual and intense. Your life is in cycles to pair with the 4 seasons of nature. At the end of your “cycle”, roughly age 72, you leap to your death from a cliff to an alter, in order to give your life back.
The friends – as well as the commune – watched as the two Elders ended their lives. In shock and horror to them. A gruesome end
A few days pass and the small group of friends is dwindling but they don’t know why or where they have gone. They’ve been told they were driven to “the train” presumably to go back home
At the end of the celebrations is a large circle dance of all of the girls. The last one standing is crowned May Queen. Donned with a large flower crown and accompanying dress. After going around and around in circles for hours, Dani is the last one to be upright. Celebrations ensue and she is welcomed into the family.
Her boyfriend on the other hand is chosen to have a ritualistic sex with a young girl named Maja, Pelle’s sister, whom she and he elders have chosen. She is now of the age to have sex.
The ending to the celebrations, of course, is of 9 human sacrifices. It is said that 7 have already been chosen. Two people from the commune already mummified and the missing friends. The last two were chosen by the May Queen. Ultimately her boyfriend is one of the 9.
She smiles as the 9 are burned in a raging fire. We assume she has found her “belonging” with the cult.
—
Date released: July 3 2019
Date Viewed: July 28 2019
Date Reviewed: July 28 2019
Director: Ari Aster
Genre: Thriller/Drama/Horror
Stars: 4/5
Rating: 18A
Cast:
Florence Pugh
Jack Reynor
Vilhem Blomgren
—
Fantastic movie!
A total mind fuck, with wild twists.
Who ever did the editing for this movie was amazing! The transitions to certain scenes were just beautifully done. Round of applause for the editors.
I haven’t seen many like this film where you are on a rollercoaster, not knowing where the turns are or the end. It was one of those classics where just as you thought something was going to happen, it didn’t. Something else more sinister or mind boggling did. I would definitely see this one again for sure
ethomascassidy 