10 Horror Movies That Fill You With Dread
4. Midsommar
Two features deep, Ari Aster has cemented himself as one of the modern kings of horror. Debut Hereditary is pound-for-pound one of the most scare-filled films in recent memory, but it’s his follow up, Midsommar, that burrows deeper and truly unsettles.
Starring Florence Pugh, its an immaculately made piece of work whose lush vistas and great performances only make the terror hit harder. Pugh plays a college student traumatised by the death of her family. Her flaky boyfriend is off on a research trip to rural Sweden, and she invites herself along.
This proves to be a bad mood. The plucky Americans rock up on this bucolic commune to find themselves waist-deep in folk horror. They’ve arrived just in time for the midsummer festival, but this is less frolicking and cider than human sacrifices and heads getting bashed in with hammers.
Despite taking place in wide open European vistas, Midsommar feels deeply claustrophobic, as the protagonists find themselves isolated and terrified by the ritual weirdness that unfolds. Aster’s incredible visual eye truly luxuriates in the gore, making for an unforgettable experience.