Whelp, I have no desire to watch a horror movie ever again.

It’d be fraudulent of me to say this film’s style saves its (lack of) substance. The narrative sometimes feels wise in a slow burn, dialogue/character-driven route... then it seems to rely on shock just like the garbage flicks it’s trying to rise above with its “artistic ambition.” 

The movie has that, don’t get me wrong. It just has a load of other stuff that outweighs it in quantity and prominence to the point where... it’s just not enjoyable.

I was hoping to get a glimpse of what has been capturing audiences’ attention since the movie’s release, but aside from Florence Pugh’s breathtaking performance and some dreamlike cinematography... there’s not a whole lot to like.

Its few virtues are strong enough for me to kind of lean toward liking it but that’s really giving it the benefit of the doubt.  People who aren’t fans of horror or Aster’s work should definitely stay away from this movie. It’s just... not worth it.

Edit: Italics, lower rating, and

This movie has not served well under the harsh scrutiny of fridge logic and shower thoughts. There's just nothing there, just a stylized and art-ified version of the dumb slashers it's trying to surpass. The beautiful filming feels like make-up on a sub-par spectacle of uninspiration that sickens and repulses save for the wonderful Florence Pugh. I'm sorry, this movie is not it.

One star for Ms. Pugh, half for the cinematography.