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Midsommar, the new movie from writer and directorAri Aster, is the slowest of burns.
So, whats going on at the end ofMidsommar, and what happens after the flames finally die down?
Lets unpack this beast.
So instead of initiating a breakup, cowardly Christian invites Dani on vacation.
What they find in Sweden is a bucolic paradise, an almost totally self-sufficient, closed-off community.
Everyone living there is kind, empathetic, and welcoming.
The outsiders including a pair of visiting Brits are accepted.
Or, at least, thats the facade.
Its a straightforward explanation, but one that leaves a bad taste in the shocked newcomers mouths.
The wandering nightmare continues for about two hours its slow butveryeffective before the action picks up, and fast.
Dani finally takes part in the euphoric drug-fueled dance ceremony weve been waiting for and is crowned May Queen.
Meanwhile, Christian is tasked with a different kind of duty.
Dani returns to the village just as Christian is carrying out his mandate under extreme duress.
One old woman goes as far as to push on his ass cheeks to intensify the thrusting.
Dani, like any reasonable person, throws up immediately and flees to the sleeping quarters.
And hes not exactly rushing to be with her now.
Thats when Christian, too, is captured.
And now we arrive at the grand finale.
Christian wakes up to find that hes been drugged into a state of paralysis.
In the end, the Harga are a people capable of rationalizing any behavior as good for the whole.
Reynor says that filming thisMidsommarending made the duplicitous motivations of the Harga clear.
All while theyre wearing smiles and dancing and celebrating together.
That duality was one director Aster wanted to emphasize.
It was important to me that they do have two sides, he told Vulture.
Its easy to guess Danis decision before she delivers it.
The building will be burned down with everyone inside.
At this point, Asters score becomes even more enveloping.
Meanwhile, Danis face becomes a time-lapse reflection of her feelings.
Much like extreme empathy gave way to sociopathy among the villagers, madness gives way to peace for Dani.
As Aster has noted,Midsommaris in part a breakup film.
I have a hard time watching the film without seeing Harga as a sort of manifestation of Danis will.
So is Danis surrender to the Harga a happy ending?
