Reviews

"Hereditary isn't a horror film."

This is what you start to think, as the viewer. It's a trap that has been set for you. As a Screenwriter, myself, this film is a fantastic piece to study in terms of structure and execution.

3/4 of the film operate as a tragic Family Drama. It's easy to forget that you paid to watch a "Horror" film. The acting and writing are so superb that you're convinced this film is a dread-soaked tale about loss, guilt, and grudge-holding.

It is. But it isn't. By the time the credits roll, you'll feel a sort of evil presence (a dreadful haunting, if you will) that sticks with you for some time.

Hereditary is a film that rewards second and third viewings. There are so many hints and pieces that are so easily missed while watching it for the first time. Hereditary is constantly telling you that things are only going to end one way, and when you're able to see/hear the prophetic imagery of that... it's truly chilling.

"Midsommar" Ari Aster's 2nd film, is worth the price of admission. It's almost worth double because watching it gives you a newfound appreciation for Hereditary and Aster's incredible ability to disturb you deep in your core.

Ultimately, Ari Aster has made two Horror films that stand out in a crowd of what would otherwise be predictable jump-scare movies. But Hereditary is a phenomenal achievement in dread, terror, and tragedy.

Ari Aster has gone on to reveal that Hereditary and Midsommar were the only Horror stories he has written so far. It seems like, genre-wise, Ari Aster will be moving away from Horror.

TL; DR:

Regardless of what Ari Aster does moving forward, THIS is the film he'll be primarily remembered for. It is a must-see.

(I hope he proves me wrong, because his talent is beyond that of nearly all current Horror writers/directors.)

For those of you who HAVE seen Hereditary: (If not, skip to next segment)

"Midsommar" is like another flavor from the same ice cream shop of discomfort, but truthfully... it's a bad acid trip that wears off the moment you leave the theater.

A lot of that signature Ari Aster dread can be felt in the film's powerful/memorable First Act.

The Second Act brings up a lot of questions and keeps you engaged, but don't expect to be terrified. It gets a little lost in itself and starts feeling a bit vague.

So, like Hereditary, you're probably expecting a HORRIFIC Third Act, right? It's only natural considering that Hereditary was a Family Drama that ended on a horrifying note. Well, without spoiling anything, don't hold your breath. The Third Act abruptly throws the film into the Art/Allegory category without providing much in the nature of horror.

Midsommar checks all of the boxes. It (kind of) answers all of the questions. But I left the theater, and my mind wandered back to Hereditary. Midsommar isn't really a film that stays with you, while for me (at least) Hereditary still does.

Loads of respect to Ari Aster for trying something completely different, but it loses points for simply not being scary or disturbing enough to stick with you.

For those of you who HAVEN'T seen Hereditary: (READ THIS if you SKIPPED)

On the plus side, Midsommar is unlike any horror film you've seen recently. It deserves to be seen at least once by any horror fan.

On the negative side, Midsommar struggles to even BE a horror film. It starts off as a drama and ends as an art show. Don't expect any scares to write home about. (Although to its credit, it does contain a few genuinely disturbing scenes)

TL;DR:

It's not Hereditary. It's barely a Horror film. But, in many ways, it's probably the most unique film you'll see this year. You'll show up for the "horror" but you'll only stay for the visuals.

Props to Ari Aster for shooting a Horror film 90% in broad daylight. It's only a pity that all of the memorable "scares" still take place during the 10% shot in the dark.

The first half of this film is beautiful.

The visuals are far beyond anything you've seen in recent time. The music is perfection. (Some of you may not believe this) Nicholas Cage shows such powerful emotion. YOU'RE READY. The film PREPARES you for what you EXPECT will be a dreadful but FANTASTIC second half.

The second half of this film is ugly.

The plot vanishes. Only unsatisfying violence and unexpected perversion remains. Although still visually stunning, it's only a pretty picture. With unanswered questions and unsatisfactory resolutions haunting you after it ends, I feel entitled to tell you, the reader:

See Mandy. Please. It deserves to be seen. Support the more artistic side of film, but know this is not entirely a film.

Each half of this film should be scored individually.

First Half: 10 (No Exaggeration) Second Half: 5

I would score this film 7.5 if it were possible.

Lastly, I feel that it's important to state that I personally loved it. Not only for its extraordinary style, but its substance. I only regret to close by saying that I feel Panos Cosmatos tragically lost his way somewhere in the Second Act. This could have been better, it was MEANT to be better... but somehow it isn't.

I'll get straight to the point.

I believe that there are bandwagons of hate. I believe that some people will choose to look at something negatively because it's the popular thing to do. I think this film is a victim of that in a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed most of this film. I was a bit surprised to see just how hated it was here on IMDb. I am a life-long Star Wars fan, and I'd be lying if I said I liked everything about this movie.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN THIS MOVIE

It is positively worth seeing. I wouldn't expect a masterpiece here. It won't be what you may expect. It takes a lot of different turns that many people don't seem to agree with, but I do not think that they are the wrong turns. I think it is a matter of opinion.

MORE DETAILS (Still Spoiler-Free)

There are some MAJOR events that take place in the film that will leave you scratching your head. A LOT of bridges are burned. Plenty of plot points do NOT make sense. Questions are left unanswered. But in spite of all this, there are still so many good things to take away from this addition to the franchise.

NEGATIVES (Like I said... spoiler-free)

At the end, you will feel like opportunities were missed. You will wonder why they closed the book when we were so eager to read more. These missed opportunities are truly unfortunate, but not unfortunate enough to warrant saying this was a "horrible" movie because of them.

Certain plot points make ZERO sense, but the same can be said for every Star Wars movie in the franchise. (Take off your Star Wars love goggles for a sec and think about it)

A lot of the new characters are entirely forgettable. In fact, I cannot think of a single new character in The Last Jedi that left any sort of impression, unfortunately.

75% of the plot feels unimportant or redundant. Even though it's delivered in a fun and entertaining way, you won't find yourself recalling how "deep" the story was. It wasn't. The plot is fairly shallow in its first and second acts.

POSITIVES (Outweigh the negatives, in my opinion, in a spoiler-free way)

There are some truly classic Star Wars moments in The Last Jedi. There were plenty of scenes that had the entire audience laughing or cheering gleefully. This movie plays to a lot of fans well, I think. It's fun and it's mostly well-executed.

The third act is very well done, containing memorable scenes that were goosebump inducing.

Luke Skywalker (although not without faults) is very well portrayed. I do not understand how so many people can think that Rian Johnson has "ruined" him. If I were to tell you WHY Luke was well portrayed in The Last Jedi, I'd be spoiling things, and I'm against that. So go see for yourself. (If you disagree with me, that's fair)

Beautifully and authentically Star Wars in terms of its visuals and sound.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THIS MOVIE

I understand why you are so disappointed, in a lot of ways... I really do.

I completely agree with a lot of the points being made in the negative reviews being posted here, but I also think that you are completely focusing on the negative elements of The Last Jedi. I would dare to say that there were far more positive elements. However, bad news weighs ten times as much as good news. So I will in no way try to argue against your opinions, because they are your opinions, and a lot of your complaints are valid. I would only encourage those who have not seen TLJ yet to go in to the theater blind with no expectations.

FINAL POINTS

While watching The Last Jedi you will know that some parts of it really work and others REALLY don't. But when it works, it works wonderfully. I cannot agree with the 2s and 3s that are being given to this film. Anything below a 6 is extreme, in my opinion. This film deserves at LEAST a 6.

For me, I say The Last Jedi is a soft 8. This is primarily because EPISODE III has a high 7 here on IMDb, and I think this film was better executed than EPISODE III and far better executed than EPISODES I and II. Another reason it gets an 8 is because it was thoroughly enjoyable. It certainly isn't some example of genius story-telling, but then again... none of the Star Wars movies really are. They are stories about good and its struggle with evil. They are Space Operas with touches of religion and ethics sprinkled throughout.

The Last Jedi is a solid entry in the Star Wars franchise, and I think it'd be a mistake for anyone to automatically give in to the hatred it seems to be receiving... ESPECIALLY if you haven't seen it yet.

Anyway, that's all from me. Thank you for reading.

I will lay this out short and sweet (probably not).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was every bit as good as the first one.

Here's the thing I think is so cool about this movie... it's different.

It isn't better, it isn't worse. It's just different and hilarious and a really good time. If you're having a not so great day, seeing this is a good decision.

READ THIS TO SEE MY POINT (Finally).

I don't think I can decide which one I like more, the first one or the second one. I'm fairly convinced that a lot of people will love this sequel just as much as its prequel, and THAT... that's rare.

I always recommend that people go see movies with zero expectations. After all, wasn't that what made the first one so charming? We weren't expecting much and it blew us away. So please, just watch this to have a good time, because that is what this is. It is a wonderful, emotional, and hilarious good time.

We live in a society that assumes being overcritical means showing a display of intelligence. Don't let this film be tarnished by that fad.

I will do my best to make this short and sweet. (Probably not)

READ: (For those who HAVEN'T seen the original films)

This film is a fantastic example of a film that is complex yet simple. I expected the worst from the film and I received more. I won't lie to you and tell you this film is on par with something like The Matrix (the original was) but it is well worth seeing and stands out as unique. We all know that's nearly impossible to do these days. Please take this into consideration and go to see the film with no expectations. You'll be surprised that way.

READ: (For those who HAVE seen the original films)

I'm sorry this film wasn't everything we dreamed it would be, but can we honestly act surprised when Hollywood screenwriters avoid immensely complex story arches? They have simplified this story for the masses in the same way The Lord of the Rings was simplified for the masses. If you spend your time comparing this film with the originals you will come up short, every time. This is NOT the original film, this is its own film that you need to appreciate as it stands (I know that is difficult, believe me). If you haven't already seen it, please take my word for it and go in with no expectations, go in cold (like it is a new experience).

(Final Comments)

I take user reviews to heart for movies. I appreciate the opinions of the people more than I appreciate the opinions of the paid critics. Seeing a 6.9 as the current user score (as of March 31st) is unfortunate, because this film captures EVERYTHING that Ghost in the Shell was and thanks to this film IS CURRENTLY. As a film it stands strong in the Sci-Fi genre and does manage to still be thought-provoking. Please consider taking your time before giving it a low rating.

Understand that the talents that put this film together adopted this baby from its original developers and they did NOT destroy it, as some over-exaggerators may proclaim. "The Last Airbender" - THAT is an example of something being destroyed. GHOST IN THE SHELL stands still intact. Of course it isn't as fleshed out and philosophical as the original film (which paid an immaculate amount of attention to detail and information) but it DOES live in the same world and it DOES tell the same story. I promise you that if it HAD stayed completely with the script of the animated film, it would be getting attacked for being an unnecessary remake or overly complicated.

I've given this an 8 out of 10 because I see 6 as mediocre and 10 as a perfect film. 8 is somewhere in between. I do not believe this is the best adaption or sci-fi film I've seen, but it was enjoyable and much pain-staking work was put into it... that shows when you watch it. Don't be entirely emotional about the way you view this movie. Watch it for what it is, not what it is in comparison.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate it. Take the time to see this movie and take your time before rating it. Really chew on it first, because it deserves better than it is receiving.