The Witch review

Title: The Witch
Director: Robert Eggers
Cast: Ralph Ineson
         Anya Taylor-Joy
         Kate Dickie
         Harvey Scrimshaw
Run time: 90 minutes
Certificate: 15/18 (couldn't find the certificate, R in America though)

So this was one of the last films to be screened at this years Mayhem film festival in Nottingham, and my oh my the festival was like a firework display; in the way that it involves a lot of slow build up for a quick but satisfying pay off... That is how I would best describe The Witch. Yep, some of you come here for witty and insightful criticisms, all you get are shitty analogies, sorry.

The story is a simple one, and ironically enough kind of falls under that same cliched plot I mentioned in my last film rants piece. This time, a family are exiled (for reasons not really made clear) and are basically forced to live away from society near the forests. After moving in, weird events seem to occur regarding a witch who lives in the forest after the family's young baby is taken away (and presumably murdered or something as horrific in what can only be described in one of the most unsettling montages I have ever seen). From here on out, paranoia takes over the family and each member is mentally tortured to a breaking point by a barely seen force.

The films plot is a little cliched and at times may seem a bit too vague for the sake of being "art", but I get the impression that this film is purposefully style over substance, as the visuals are both striking and absolutely terrifying. Thankfully there are no cheap jump scares in this film, but instead, in a similar way to Kubrick's The Shining, this film relies heavily on being scared of your peers, as we see the psyche of these characters deteriorate in front of us on screen and it is not a pretty sight. The film is undoubtedly one of the most beautifully shot horror films of the last decade, so it's safe to say that for what the film lacks in an original plot, it surely makes up for in memorable visuals. That said, there are points where the editing can seem a little off; such as the screen staying black for a little more than is comfortable, and particularly one sequence of shots at the very end of the film (I will not describe the shot as it would reveal a major spoiler), which somewhat temporarily removed me from the film just to mutter "REALLY!" under my breath.

That said, it could be that Eggers was intending on confusing the audience with this feature, or just that he may not have had such a great idea for an ending. The film is based on traditional New-England folklore and this could have developed and evolved over time, but there are certainly some points in the film where the phrase what the fuck would seem perfectly appropriate. One particular seen certainly made me feel incredibly uncomfortable and for good reason, as the visuals matched with the eerie soundtrack that accompanies it creates a selection of images that will remain imprinted on my brain for a fairly long time.

The acting and writing are both top notch, especially from Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie, who play the father and mother of the family (respectively, although seeing both in drag in the opposite role would be rather entertaining). Their performances, specifically Ineson, are truly remarkable with the fathers paranoia resulting in anger and regret and the mothers grief resulting in delusion. This is where parallels to The Shining can be made, just imagine it was set in the late 17th century and there were two of Jack Nicholson (terrifying, right? nope, ok thats just me then).

All in all the film, for lack of a better term, is a slow burn, the first hour is a lot of build up and some quite disturbing imagery just to be followed by a kind of rushed but increidibly frightening final act. The acting is incredible all round and the script just as much but there is no denying that at times the final product can lose itself and feel a little rushed. That said, as a good old horror film, this does its job as the visuals have stuck with me throughout the night (that was fun) and the soundtrack (which make the visuals all the more frightening) is petrifying.

8/10