The Wicker Man (1973)

Director: Robin Hardy
Stars: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento
Runtime: 88 minutes

Synopsis: A puritan Police Sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl who the locals claim never existed.

Performances: 8/10

Screenplay: 6/10

Editing: 8/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Enjoyment Factor: 7/10

Verdict: While "Midsommar" was making its successful run last year, many compared it to 1973's "The Wicker Man". Prior to this analogy, I didn't know much about the Robin Hardy cult classic (literally) aside from the fact that it was remade in 2006 with Nicolas Cage in the lead, giving us the now iconic bee scene. I decided to add it to my watchlist but, much like most things on it, time was not kind to it and I completely forgot about it. It was only recently that its existence came back to me as I was browsing the net searching for horror flicks to watch this Halloween season, and decided to make it a priority as my interest in it reached its peak.

Starring Edward Woodward as a policeman tasked to solve a murder in a remote Scottish island that is home to a small community of seemingly cheerful residents, the film takes a darker turn as he begins to familiarize himself with the village's unorthodox cult-like traditions. His stay becomes a fever dream, filled with uncomfortable interactions, awkward dance numbers, and even bizarre musical acts that, come to think of it, is the foundation of every organized religion on Earth including the one he adheres to: Christianity.

The movie's biggest strength is the eerie atmosphere it builds. It is an uncomfortable watch for all the right reasons, and the parallels it draws to active religious folklores make it all the more unsettling. I am certain that if it wasn't for "The Wicker Man", "Midsommar" wouldn't have seen the light of day as the resemblance is more than evident, but I consider the Ari Aster instant classic to be superior for one main reason: the characters. Sergeant Howie, aside from his beliefs, didn't have much going for him, and relating to his experience was no welcoming task. Except for what the plot needs to progress, we don't know much about him and certainly can't project our fears onto him. Unlike Florence Pugh's Dani, I couldn't root for him because I didn't see myself in him, and I suspect that most people watching the film won't either.

The fact that the movie is mostly driven by its atmosphere rather than its narrative makes this issue less of a problem than you'd expect. And while I do believe that "Midsommar" is superior to it in every conceivable way, that doesn't mean that it isn't a solid feature that deserves to be looked at as a separate entity. It probably won't leave a huge mark on me, but I most definitely enjoyed spending 88 minutes in this odd and unpredictable Scottish village.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10