Midsommar Review: Road To Hell Film Reviews Podcast Episode 003

In the woods of Sweden there lives a commune of white-clad nature-worshipers. They live in harmony with the land and with one another, wearing wreaths of flowers and singing songs to the earth. Having avoided the trappings of progress and materialism, the members of this small society enjoy lives of quiet peace and tranquility. Having long cast off all forms of division, they exist as one loving, unified family. It is, for all intents and purposes, Utopia.

When a group of American college students is brought by Pelle, a native of the commune, to see what it’s all about, they expect an educational and refreshing summer vacation. But (of course) things are not as they seem! Every Utopia comes with a cost, and this Utopia is no exception. Stranded in the commune during Midsommar – the height of summer when the sun does not set in the far north – the Americans are made to pay the price of living in “harmony” with Mother Nature.

This film very bluntly captures the essence of Utopianism: On the surface, everything seems ideal, but underneath (and not even that far underneath) there is a swirling cauldron of consuming darkness. Listen as Nicky P and Danny M break down – and criticize – 2019’s Midsommar.

Director: Ari Aster
Writers: Ari Aster

Stars:

Florence Pugh as “Dani”
Jack Reynor as “Christian”
Vilhelm Blomgren as “Pelle”
William Jackson Harper as “Josh”
Will Poulter as “Mark”

Misc.:
Midsommar (2019): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8772262/
“Midsummer” – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer
In Pursuit of Utopia, Part 6: “...And No Man Improves” – School Sucks Podcast, Ep. 634 (Danny M and Brett Veinotte break down historical communal and “back-to-the-land” Utopias in America): https://schoolsucksproject.com/and-no-man-improves-in-pursuit-of-utopia-part-6-free-a-v-634/
The Bohemian Grove and Other Retreats – G. William Domhoff: https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/FC/FC8AEB056C2C32F10AFC327BA91F4A45_The_Bohemian_Grove_and_Other_Retreats.rtf.pdf