Shes also a future queen. Some accounts of the rituals claim they may have occurred once every nine years (rather than 90, as seen in the movie) and included sacrifices of humans (likely prisoners of war), livestock, dogs, and other animals on altars or through hanging. Dont think so. What began looking like a beautiful ritual with all-white color and unique structures and dances turned into one of the most disturbing to look upon. Midsommar Jump to Edit Summaries A couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. But that still doesnt explain why a bear. He is asked to mate with a girl named Maja because he is astrologically perfect for her. Due to Christian's drugged-up state, the lungs appear to be breathing. Its clear this relationship just isnt panning out, or at the least, its just not something Christian is interested in helping Dani get through her familys passing. All Rights Reserved. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. There is symbolism all over Midsommar. During the May Queen celebrations, Christian is given a drink with hallucinogenic properties, and then flower petals are laid out to create a path for him to the barn where Maja is waiting. Seriously: If you dont want to be spoiled, abandon ship now. But its so much more than a creepy journey to a remote Swedish village. If anything, what ties them all together is a philosophy of mindfulness, staying connected to your life and to the people in your life and to the world around you. Dead Berserkers were often put in bear skins ahead of their funeral rites, so it could be a reference to that? Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about whats happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. The Den of Geek quarterly magazine is packed with exclusive features, interviews, previews and deep dives into geek culture. It's destined to be discussed for years to come. How do you balance the shocking moments with the emotional nuance of the film? Midsommar borrows heavily from these celebratory and romantic aspects of the festival, though Aster obviously adds a vicious edge to them all. Unless you count saying fuck a lot after the old couple jump off the cliff and wanting to go home early. Either way, as with Hereditary, Midsommar feels like a highly considered piece of storytelling beneath the craziness - technically precise, meticulously designed, dense with allusions, clues,. So who are the locals who are dressed up like trees? Theres the plants (when shes on a mushroom trip, Dani sees grass growing through her hands and feet, and theres a flower breathing in her May Queen crown). Heres. They also let us deeper into Danis mind. Considering Christian's dramatic turn as a physical sacrifice during a final, fiery . In the directors follow-up to Get Out, he crafts a terrifying tale that makes some salient points concerning modern American society. The end of Midsommar begins after Dani wins the dance battle to become the May Queen (a symbolic fight against the Devil-like entity known as the Black One). You can follow her on Twitter @HSW3K, Midsommar's Ending Explained: What Happened & What It Really Means, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper and Vilhelm Blomgren Interview: Midsommar, Ari Aster and Jack Reynor Interview: Midsommar, The New Mad Max Might Break A Decades Old Series Rule. Aster's take on the people of Hrga is that their culture is deeply rooted in reciprocity, which is an aspect that's missing in the core romantic relationship at the heart of the story; this is where the focus of Midsommar really lies. Midsommar was produced very quickly. After the group travels to Sweden, Dani picks flowers for Christian, who couldnt be more aloof. Since Dani had the option to spare her boyfriend and have a stranger be the centerpiece of the sacrifice at the end of Midsommar, some way wonder why she specifically decides to kill Christian. The core theme running through Midsommar is one of belonging. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to two life terms for murdering his wife and son. Originally, B-Reel Films and producer Patrik Andersson brought Aster an idea for a folk horror picture centered on the concept of "Americans going to Sweden and getting killed off." (Which seems, if youve seen Hereditary, to be Asters signature move.) Moreover,she also seems to recognize that Christian is the best choice for the sacrifice that represents the exorcism of evil from the community, because he - not theHrgans - is the source of her pain. However, having brought the May Queen toHrga, Pelle isspared from being sacrificed and instead given the highest honors. In Midsommar's ending we see the final part of the festival's twisted traditions, as nine human sacrifices are offered up to the gods in exchange for nine new lives, in the form of babies conceived during the Midsommar celebrations. And thats when things really get cracking. [EMBED_VIMEO]https://vimeo.com/39345149[/EMBED_VIMEO]. The creepy song goes on to say how everyone "forgot God and the whole world" during the dance, isolating them from everyone else. So its unlikely that luring her over to become the new May Queen was the plan, but more an opportunity Pelle saw present itself once he realised Dani was going to come with. Christian finishes the act, then runs out of the mating house naked and discovers, in a chicken coop, what happened to Simon. As Dani and Christian's friends begin disappearing one by one, it becomes clear that there's something very dark going on behind the scenes of the Midsommar festivities. At first we thought it was the old couple who jumped off the cliff near the start. The one which they burn later. A woman (Dani) is connected to three other people (her sister, father, and mother). Dani screams and hyperventilates, and everyone else follows suit. Because he pisses on an ancestral tree of the place where peoples burnt ashes are put into place. She smiles. (If youre confused, recall the cloth the camera panned across earlier, hanging on a clothesline, that Pelle calls kind of a love story.). Business; Politics; Military; Elections; Law; Immigration; Technology. All this changes when Dani goes to the village. This is one movie that will be analyzed for years and years, so hopefully this mythology primer has given you cinephiles and film school students a solid start. Dani's journey throughout Midsommar certainly leads to a new beginning. As they get to the bottom, it gets darker and leads some to their end. For Dani, though, the purging is complete. The plot is simple, outsiders visit a new place and via pagan . This festival is to keep the community clean. Maja is a redheaded Hrga girl who has a crush on Christian Hughes, the boyfriend of protagonist Dani Ardor. Jump to content US Edition Change Yes, she witnessed him sleeping with another girl, but by that point thats surely the least of the horrors shes witnessed that week, and to be fair, that wasnt entirely his fault. Midsommar is Ari Asters haunting folk horror film that stunned audiences in 2019. He is made to inhale steam that gives him "vitality," and then has sex with Maja while surrounded by a group of Hrga's older women, who sing and urge him on. Should you. And that brings us toMidsommar's ending. In Ari Aster's folk horror film, Midsommar, a couple on the verge of breaking up finds themselves entangled in the strange rituals of a . Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Indeed, Aster has called Midsommar something of a breakup movie, and throughout the story, we see how Christian is distancing himself from Dani, treating her with severe indifference and ignoring . Two otherHrgans are chosenfor the sacrifice because they succeeded in bringing new bloods to the community: Pelle's brother, Ingemar, and another man called Ulf (Henrik Norln). Others, like some of the ritualistic sacrifices, are a mixture of Aster's imagination and Viking folklore. That doesnt make it true. (Remember her conversation with an unseen friend on the phone, where she worried that someday her need for Christians emotional support would be a burden? Midsommar Deleted Scene (Director's Cut) Shelly's Creation 2.81K subscribers Subscribe 1.4M views 1 year ago #AriAster #FlorencePugh #FlorencePugh #AriAster Film: Midsommar (2019) Director: Ari. The dance sees Dani winning the part, and everyone applauds her and showers respect. But if Connie and Simon were always for the chop, why were the elders annoyed with Ingmar? And thats where the second section of the film ends: The Harga havent changed, but the Americans impression of them has shifted uncomfortably. Related: Midsommar's Secret The Exorcist Easter Egg Explained. She is given a flower crown and pride of place at the May Queen feast, and then taken to bless the harvest and animals. Perhaps the sacrifice of the outsiders isnt dependent on transgressions at all, though that does make you wonder what might have happened if Dani hadnt become the May Queen. A visual medium requires visual methods. Things You Only Notice The Second Time You Watch Midsommar. Unbeknownst to them, the fastivities include violant and disturbing pagan rituals, and the locals insist that they join in. And what if she hadnt won the dance? Here's how Midsommarmovie ends, and what it all means. Examine Dani and Christians relationship in the films overture. Later, Dani wins a maypole dancing competition, becoming the May Queen. It is a community that sees life and nature as cyclical. At the start of the movie, Dani is extremely isolated. It's the symbol for the Norse God Tyr, who put his hand in Fenrir's mouth knowing that Fenrir would bite it off when Tyr betrayed him. Towards the ending of Midsommar, most of the characters meet their end. Midsommar is the story of Dani's emotional journey You can split Midsommar into a few distinct sections. Christian, who is still paralyzed, makes no sound as he burns to death inside the bear skin, but Ingemar and Ulf scream as the fire consumes them. Aster emphasizes the unsettling nature of the land and the commune by disorienting the viewers with bright colors, blinding white costumes that are only broken by the clothing of the outsiders, and the low humming of the audiovisuals. further. While Midsommar is a folk horror movie in the same vein as The Wicker Man, its essentially a breakup movie. Heres Midsommar explained for all you filmmakers wanting to make your own folk horror masterpiece. Directors like Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar), Jordan Peele (Us, Get Out) and Robert Eggers (The VVitch, The Lighthouse) established themselves as household names of the genre. As with Aster . areneeb123. Once out in the flowering fields on a Friday in late June, families and large gatherings of friends will start off their festivities by picking flowers, making wreaths, and raising the maypole, the site (and sight) of a number of "ring-around" dances. The group arrives at the midsommar festival where everything is a bit off. The answer to that is complex, but a good place to start is the fact that Dani isn't exactly in her right mind at the end of the movie. But in truth, the events in most of the films 140-minute runtime are fairly easy to follow; its in the ending where things get a little wild, grand, and possibly baffling. Dont mess with the Harga.). One of Josh's legs has been cut off and, as Christian saw earlier, buried in the garden like a flower. further reading: Midsommar Talks Folk Horror to a New Level. It's heavily implied that Pelle's own parents were sacrificed in their own time, as Pelle tells Dani that they burned in a fire when he was a child. He wont leave with her (though she fears he would leave without her) and ultimately her journey leads her to believe its better for her to stay. Perhaps this messes with the schedule and there was something more ritualistic planned. Also Simon getting flowers for eyes and hung up in a chicken coup isnt not ritualistic. You can take almost any ritual seen in the movie, do some research on it, and find out it has a counterpart in some . He is brought before Dani, and she is given the choice to sacrifice either Christian or the randomly-selectedHrgan. Theres an indication that Pelle is romantically interested in Dani (totally kisses her on the mouth) so you could see why he might want her to join the commune. So with no further adieu here we are getting Midsommar and its ending explained right. Since both Hereditary and Midsommar lean heavily on pagan folklore, I was hoping that Aster either had roots in Nordic countries and culture or at least thoroughly researched it, like his PhD-candidate characters. They drink the tea again. The scene where Josh is hit in the head while reading their sacred texts, somebody walks in wearing Mark's face. Pay special attention to when they show up on screen because they're representing more than just a tie to pagan lore. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, and Will Poulter. The community hides all these disappearances by lying. This was foreshadowed earlier in the movie, when the group saw someHrgan children playing a game called "skin the fool." Fury of the Gods Brings Back the "Shazamily": Inside DC's New Superhero Adventure, Scream 6's Brutal NYC Trip: "You Can't Trust Anyone" This Time, Cocaine Bear Is Not Just About a Killer "Coked-Up" Bear, It's Also an "Underdog Story", How Marvel's Wastelanders Podcast Created an Exciting Story with No Visual Safety Net, Midsommar Explained Questions and Theories. Our Midsommar synopsis opens with a scene of Dani trying to call her emotionally-distant boyfriend Christian. Christian and all his friends go up in flames, and she acts out their pain just like the villagers. Every relationship is different, but each one depends on a foundation of shared empathy. But lets break it down a little further though. From Midsommar Featuring Florence Pugh as Dani Ardor. The very first image we see is a tapestry that summarizes the entire story we're about to watch. Midsommar is a 2019 folk horror film written and directed by Ari Aster.The film stars Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor as a dysfunctional couple who travel to Sweden with a group of friends for a midsummer festival, only to find themselves in the clutches of a sinister cult practicing Scandinavian paganism.Supporting actors include William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Ellora Torchia, Archie . There are some exceptions to the rules against incest; cousins inHrga are sometimes permitted to mate, and each generation has an "unclouded" oracle who is the deliberate product of inbreeding. So Dani's successful survival of the dance suggests that not only has the devil been driven out ofHrga but that she's got an important part to play in community's future. Then theres the first section, which begins two weeks before the group Christian, Mark, Dani, Josh, and Pelle head to Sweden, and ends when they walk through the big wooden sunburst and into the idyllic village of the Harga. Looking for an escape, Dani follows her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor) on a trip with his friends to a folk festival in Sweden, run by a commune that Christian's friend Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren) grew up in. And then he gets killed. But I think the best way to think about whats happening in this last section is through some of the clues dropped throughout the film about Danis journey throughout Midsommar. This came true with the sacrifice of Simon, Connie, Mark, and Josh. But thinking of it as a fairy tale helps sort out the ending. The actual Midsummer holiday is reason to celebrate in Sweden: It kicks off a five-week holiday where locals take advantage of every hour the relatively short summer season offers them. But who are the other two? further reading: Midsommar Ending Explained. Many Swedes start their summer vacation around midsummer and leave town to spend time in cottages, summer houses or with country-dwelling relatives," Tidholm told Esquire. By looking at the film through these sections, we gain a better understanding of the films central themes. There are six outsiders, four or possibly five are getting sacrificed. So heres a quick overview of Midsommar leading up to the ending, what happens at the end, and what it (probably) means, though there are plenty of alternate interpretations available. The ritual sacrifice is a catharsis not only forHrga, but for Dani as well. . More and more people are flocking to the small screen to find daily entertainment. Ari Aster's Midsommar depicts a terrifying Swedish commune. Theyre all on the couch, and Dani is seen through the mirror above, physically separated from them. Because although you'd probably choose to save even the nobbiest of ex-boyfriends over a murderous cult, Dani has perhaps decided that she's without family of her own and the nurturing elements of Hrga are where she now belongs. MIdsommar is a quintessential modern folk horror film. One of the Hrga women tells Dani she's family now, that they're like sisters. The bodies of the other sacrifices are also brought to the temple and placed around the walls. As they dive deeper into the true intentions behind the festivals, outsiders in the group begin to disappear. Weve come up with our own theories about what might have happened and what they might mean. During dinner, Dani tells Christian that fellow outsider Simon left his girlfriend, Connie, behind in the village (or thats what they think of course, the reality is something quite different), and then bitterly says that she thinks Christian would do that, too. The villagers would let their farm animals out to graze while lighting bonfires, firing guns, and making a bunch of noise to scare predators away. TheHrgans watching outside the temple scream and thrash along with them. Not all festivals end in ritualistic suicide and murder. There's the upward arrow / T-shaped rune known as Twaz or Teiwaz that represents the Norse god Tyr, a brave and powerful male deity who sacrifices his arm to the giant wolf Fenrir. At the same time, Christian is taken away and drugged as well with the same tea. Dani staggers around in her May Queen costume, sobbing, but eventually calms down and then smiles as she watches the temple burn - which is where Midsommar ends. With the yellow pyramid building aflame, the whole community gathers outside, howling as they did at the ttestupa. Last one May Queen decides of if its outsider or from the community. This may remind you of him mentioning his sister becoming the queen, and his parents burned to death. The Midsommar ending explained the Peles excitement for Dani joining them. The film has a happy ending, more . By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Coming from the man who directed Hereditary, gosh we were all in for Midsommar back in 2019. CPAC used to be a barometer. Pele comes with better advice by offering him to come on a trip to the Swedish Summer festival his family attends. Chrisitan, in a rush, returns home to comfort his love Dani but when she finds out about his trip. Mike Bedard is a graduate of UCLA. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows. Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. Instead weve come up with a bunch of things that made us scratch our heads and a range of points that, frankly, we just really want to talk about. When Christian comes to his senses, he runs away naked and comes across the bodies of his friend. Full IPTV List channels worldwide With 20000 channels + 40000 Movie and series. In the cinema cut, Connie (Ellora Torchia) and Simon (Archie Madekwe) freak out and want to flee after they see two of the Harga community leap of a cliff to their bloody deaths. He cant be allowed to leave. They return to the commune and work from ages 36 to 54 (fall), and from ages 54 to 72 (winter) they lead the community as elders. It's been one year since the release of the sun-drenched folk-horror tale, Midsommar, yet Ari Aster 's unsettling depiction of the Swedish midsummer festival, and its pagan roots, is as disturbing as ever. Midsommar has an abundance of overt and obscure references to Swedish folklore. Though many try to escape at different points for the rest of the film, all but one are murdered and used in human sacrifice rituals. Being present to your . When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The film stars Florence Pugh as Dani, a young woman who suffers the devastating loss of herfamily when her bipolar sister kills herself and their parents with carbon monoxide. Midsommar is a trip you may not always want to take. With her sister and parents dead and her relationship falling apart, Dani is more or less completely alone when she arrives in Hrga. Other runes that show up include representations of secret initiations and tangible or intangible things inherited through the family line (which are seen on the paintings in the boarding house and the shape of the communal dining table), a rune for leadership (seen on the matriarch's dress), combined or "bound" runes in the sacrificial structure that mean fertility and procreation along with a gift of generosity or sacrifice, and, as seen on the rune stone above, an inverted rune (known as a "merkstave") which suggests a negative connotation of the rune's original meaning. Pelle lays out the life cycle ofHrgans for his friends shortly after they arrive in the commune. Midsommar is essentially a two and a half hour study of one woman's emotional journey towards emancipation from a toxic relationship. If you've already seen Ari Aster's Hereditary follow-up Midsommar, you'll be familiar with the sense of reeling horror that it sends you home with. newsletter. If that foundation isnt there, it leads to people feeling alone and isolated even when theyre surrounded by other people. The hourglass-like Dagaz suggests a new beginning, but since it's drawn on its side, it may represent the loss of hope; this particular meaning is also up for interpretation. Midsommar walks a very fine tight rope because it puts the audience in Dani's shoes as she becomes a pawn in a game she doesn't even know is being played. Midsommar probably won't encourage folks to book tickets for a Swedish vacation anytime soon. The straw in the sacred temple is set on fire and begins to the burn the whole building down. The movie follows a group of college students who travel to a pagan festival in Sweden and get caught up in a terrifying ordeal. As May Queen, its up to Dani to decide whether Christian or one of the cult followers will become the final participant. In regards to Mark (the guy who was led to the forest) he was murdered and skinned. Dani's sister poisoned herself and her. Rosie Fletcher is the UK Editor of Den Of Geek. Hes put into a bear carcass and wheeled into the previously off-limits yellow pyramid-shaped building, surrounded by the other eight sacrifices. It's implied by the ethnic homogeneity of the community that only white outsiders are permitted to "mate" with theHrgans, while people of color like Josh and Connie are brought in purely for the purposes of ritual sacrifice. It is an interesting analysis, but I don't think I agree with you talking about Christian cheating; he was raped, but Dani misunderstood. They just seemed to buy their explanations and eat or drink everything offered, pubes and all. The Swedish celebration of Walpurgis Eve, celebrated since at least the Middle Ages, is a chance for people of all ages and professions to welcome in the Spring season. It also symbolizes protection and it is one of the earliest runes. He confirmed that they eat pickled herring during their spring festivities, but that's about as far as the similarities go between reality and the movie's depiction of the pagan holiday. Nearing the end of Midsommar, more than two hours in to its run time, Dani (Florence Pugh) is indoctrinated into the cult and sacrifices her thuggish and moronic . The same goes for all of the traditional pagan folklore he borrowed from to bring a familiar and grounded edge to the ritualistic horror that befalls a group of wayward Americans. However, thats not the only time Danis sister can be seen after the overture. As she watches, she realizes that he is gone. Midsommar as a fairytale. Part of this reason for this is that May 1st is International Workers' Day. Christian (Jack Reynor), of course. But the traditions still carry on in their own way. Theres a stark juxtaposition at the end of the film seeing Dani covered in beautiful flowers as she watches her former friends, many of whom have already died, be burned alive in the ceremonial structure. Dani chooses Christian to be sacrificed, and he is sewn into a bear skin and placed at the center of the temple. Spoilers ahead for those of you who haven't seen Midsommar but still have a passing curiosity in Swedish festival lore. While the film is filled with ritualistic sacrifices and bears in cages, it sticks with you because of these central, universal themes anyone can learn from. is Ari Asters haunting folk horror film that stunned audiences in 2019. In the end, she's sharing not just her grief and pain, but joy and celebration. The one on the top is Algiz, which literally means shield. This is a purging ritual; they are allowing everything bad and dark inside themselves to be let out. Mark in particular despises Dani and keeps telling Christian to break up with her, and she is made to feel like an outsider and an annoyance whenever the group are all together. (*Fun fact: In Sweden, wasps are deadlier than most of the predators that might first come to mind.). But perhaps the most interesting runes in the film are the two that Dani (Florence Pugh) has embroidered on her traditional dress. When your partner is happy, you share in their joy. Aster also uses the background to foreshadow whats to come. Mark is convinced that one of the Harga men, whos glowering at him across the way, is going to kill him for pissing on the ancestral tree. We fact-checked the horror film. I think it is very important to note how their relationship was so toxic and Christian was a bad boyfriend to the point where her vision got clouded and manipulated. Go To. The actual celebrating was done through singing, dancing, and feasting (including a hearty dish of nettle soup), all around the bonfires (and long into the night). Related:Ari Aster and Jack Reynor Interview: Midsommar. She travels to a faraway country and endures hardships and trials, but eventually, she finds a family. And, of course, the bear. She is spent. Thats just scratching the surface. For example, as The Week sums up, said runes are used in literal ways throughout the film, though it helps to know what they mean ahead of time. Fortunately, weve analyzed every frame to bring you a comprehensive breakdown of what this movies really about. The Year In Geek Quiz: how's your nerdy knowledge of 2019? From Midsommar Featuring Florence Pugh as Dani Ardor and Jack Reynor as Christian Hughes. Ari Asters latest horrorfest Midsommar is out now. By the end of the movie, four of the new blood sacrifices have already been made: British visitors Connie and Simon, and Christian's friends Josh and Mark. She is free. There's the decorating and raising of the maypole, a structure that has been theorized to represent everything from sacred trees, to the world axis, to phallic symbols. Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. Later, when Dani is lying on her bed, we see that theres a large print hung above it. If Danis not the May Queen, what would they have done with her? The image doesnt literally foreshadow the coming events in any way, but if you take all of these things together, you get hints of the story thats to come. The moons (signifying the phases of time and light and darkness). Midsommar is the queen to Hereditary 's king, yet the placement of the crown is more satisfying. Creed III Review: Jonathan Majors Is a Knockout, Luther: The Fallen Sun Review Bigger Isnt Always Better, Cocaine Bear Review: Pure Concept Gets Diluted, Ari Aster Teases 4-Hour Nightmare Comedy as Next Film, Midsommar: Florence Pugh Considers Ending Theories, May Queen Fandom. He illustrated a number of fairy tales, including Oskuldens Vandring (translated something like The Walk of Innocence), a fairy tale by Helena Nyblom about a sensual but innocent young girl walking through a forest. Here we are answering a few questions that may have left you confused towards the ending on your first watch of the Midsommar. Please enter a valid email and try again. Midsommar, the new film from Ari Aster, is currently freaking out cinemagoers around the world - not least because of its extremely bold ending.