Midsommar (4 Stars)

It's one of those awkward relationships. Christian Hughes is a postgraduate anthropology student, and his girlfriend Dani Ardor is a struggling undergraduate. The difference in the academic levels isn't a problem in itself. The problem is that Christian isn't getting what he wants out of the relationship. He complains that she's not interested in sex, and she borders on neurosis, calling him with her troubles all times of the day and night. He tells his friends about his problems, and they encourage him to break up with her. He almost takes the step, but then her sister Terri kills herself and their parents, so he decides to stay with her. It's pity, not love.

Christian's fellow student Pelle suggests that the four friends, Christian, Pelle, Josh and Mark, visit a midsummer festival in Pelle's home village in Sweden. Christian wants to spend some time away from Dani, but she puts him under emotional pressure, and he invites her to go with the group, much to their horror. They do their best to be polite and act as if they're glad she's with them.

The nine-day festival in Hälsingland looks like a hippy commune at first sight. Everyone is dancing and content. It isn't until the second day that the dark side becomes apparent. Two people commit suicide by jumping off a cliff while everyone is watching and rejoicing. Dani is shocked and wants to leave, but the villagers insist that it's normal. When people reach the age of 72 they end their lives for the good of the community.

Bigger surprises follow.

This is a horror film, but the horror is bubbling below the surface. Everyone is happy and laughing, content in the belief that their pagan rituals are in harmony with nature. The outsiders are the ones who don't understand and need to be educated. What they experience terrifies them.

It's a beautiful film stylistically. The cinema audience laughed at several scenes which I didn't find particularly funny. They couldn't fathom a society which is ruled by such a totally different moral code. People from our Christian society can't understand paganism in its purest form.

I find the story itself weak. It takes a long time for anything to happen. We know, or at least we suspect, how the film will end, but it takes a long time to get there. The film's naive beauty makes up for it. If you want to enjoy the film, you need to accept the paganism at face value, rather than judging it in terms of good and evil.