The biggest nightmare for any director is to have to follow up a highly regarded directorial masterpiece with another film just as good. Luckily for Ari Aster, he’s the master of nightmares. After horror fans lost it over the emotional and traumatizing family drama, Hereditary, they were presented with a different movie that was just as important. Midsommar not only catapulted Florence Pugh into household stardom, but took on the topic of toxic relationships in a semi-autobiographical way. Aster went on the record with Variety saying he wrote the part of Dani (Pugh) after encountering a particularly brutal breakup.
But now years after the horror cult classic premiered, fans are still trying to pit the movies against each other. One taking place in a deceptively sunny commune in Sweden, and the other in the dark crevices of grief, fans want to know which movie is better. According to one Reddit user, there is one that is the obvious winner.
In a surprisingly respectful debate on Reddit, horror fans weighed why Midsommar far outreached its predecessor. Many considerations came down to personal taste, but fans of Midsommar noted that many of the elements were more frightening, specifically taking place in the daylight. And then there is of course the opening scene that no one is likely to forget. Directly contrasting with the bright rest of the film, the opening sequence takes place during a snow-encrusted night when Dani discovers her entire family has died in a murder-suicide. These juxtapositions created an atmosphere that a lot of fans found compelling.
Fans who loved Midsommar tend to appreciate Hereditary for what it is, and what it amounts to; being a difficult movie to watch. The harrowing subject material of a mother grieving the accidental death of her daughter is the main crux of the film and is supplemented with the demons that have been haunting the family for generations. Hereditary ends on a bleak note with the entire family being eviscerated and the demon Paimon finally reaching its goal by gaining control of Peter’s (Alex Wolff) body. The film has some genuinely terrifying moments, but Midsommar has a brighter disposition and ends with a win. (If burning your gaslighting boyfriend sewn into a bear isn’t a win, I don’t know what is.)
Midsommar fans are more than willing to embrace Hereditary as one of the best films out there, even if it isn’t their favorite. Hereditary fans, on the other hand, seem to have a different perspective. Those who are die-hard fans of Paimon fail to understand what Midsommar is about. Some Redditors call the film boring and cliché.
As @LupinThe8th commented, Midsommar is a slow burn, and a masterful one at that. It may not have the flash visions of Toni Collette sawing through her neck, but it has something significant to say. Dani’s entire experience is ridding herself of the shackles of someone who doesn’t appreciate her. Christian (Jack Reynor) is unequivocally a bad person who weaponizes his mediocrity against his girlfriend and friends alike. After years together, Dani still questions if he cares about her, making him the true villain. Dani finds her best self when she finally embraces unconditional love. Midsommar isn’t just a superior horror film, it’s an uplifting triumph.