Although presented on the outside as a horror movie, at its core Midsommar is a story about human connection and all the ways that connection can become twisted into something much darker. Dani and Christian’s dysfunctional relationship is at the center of the drama, and the other main characters Pelle, Mark, and Josh are Christian’s best friends who go through life with him and experience all the same things he does. The actors chosen to play the five main characters have all been widely praised by critics, all saying they did an amazing job of bringing all of the characters’ personalities to life and injecting them with all of the necessary emotions. Beyond the main characters, Midsommar also has a fantastic group of supporting actors, most notably Ellora Torchia as Connie and Archie Madekwe as Simon, as well as all of the Swedish natives who played the Hårgas.
Dani begins as a caring and youthful college undergraduate student in the midst of a toxic relationship with Christian. After battling mental health struggles, her sister one night simultaneously commits suicide and murders both of their parents, leaving Dani alone, traumatized, and forced to lean on Christian who was ready to break up with her but two days earlier. She travels to Sweden with Christian in an attempt to fix her relationship, and make new friends and memories to escape her dark present. However, she becomes further traumatized by the brutal traditions and sacrifices performed by the Hårga people, as well as Christian’s adultery. In the end, she is crowned the May Queen by The Hårga, accepting them as her family and leaving her previous life behind.
Christian Hughes serves as the main antagonist of the film. He is a lazy student, emotionally manipulative towards Dani, and often finds ways to get everyone else to do his work for him so he never has to take any responsibility for his actions. He was planning on breaking things off with Dani, however he decided not too after her familial tragedy and because he “might want her back.” In Sweden, Christian attempts to steal Josh’s thesis project, cheats on Dani with other women, and eventually reaches arguably the most brutal fate of them all. He is drugged by the Hårgan woman Maja, forced to perform sexual acts with her while under the influence, and then sacrificed in the end.
Pelle is the main villain in the film. He originally from Halsingland Sweden, and the “Green Man” of The Hårga, meaning he is tasked with providing the nine sacrifices for the Midsommar festival. He eventually ends up in America, where he befriends Christian, Dani, Mark and Josh. He entices them into coming to Sweden by promising a riveting thesis topic, beautiful landscapes, single women for the guys, and he does it all with a smile. Underneath his friendly demeanor however, was a scheming and sinister personality waiting to shine at just the right moment.
Mark is Christian and Josh’s best friend who’s main focus greatly differs from them. He is invited to Sweden in hopes of meeting the women, and that remains his priority throughout the film. He is into the idea of it being a guys trip, and its disappointed when he discovers Dani will be joining them on their adventure. Mark reaches yet another terrible fate as revenge for accidentally defiling the Hårgan ancestral tree. He is quietly whisked away by a girl who wants to “show him something” during dinner one night, and is never seen again. It is then that he is sacrificed and his body shows up later wearing a jester outfit, presumably to emphasize his character as “the fool.”
Josh is the most level-headed and scholarly of the three main male characters. He is writing his thesis on European midsummer festivities, so when he is invited to go to Sweden by Pelle he jumps at the chance. He writes down everything he can while in Sweden, asking questions every chance he gets, much to the disdain of Pelle. One night, Josh decides to sneak out of bed to secretly try and photograph on of the community’s sacred texts. Before he can however, he is beaten and dragged away by an older man and never seen again.
Ari Aster is the mastermind behind the psychological horror that is Midsommar. He is an American screenwriter and film director who is also widely known for his film Hereditary (2018). He studied film at College of Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His debut film was Tale of Two Tims, which gained him traction after submitting it to the American Film Institute. His first big break with Hereditary earned him a large following of eager fans. Midsommar was the highly anticipated sister film, and it also received a multitude of praise from critics and viewers alike.
