REVIEW #166 The Witch (2015)

Set in New England during the 17th century, a family are banished from their plantation and forced to fend for themselves. Choosing to build their home next to a vast dark forest, the family find themselves being haunted by sinister forces. 

The Witch was Robert Eggers directorial debut on a feature film and boy did he arrive on the scene with a bang. Immediately you’re pulled into the 17th century through the world he has created and this is complimented by the traditional language used by the actors. This does mean you have to focus your full attention on the film so that you can understand everything the characters are saying and I guess that’s a clever tool to ensure the audience can’t peel themselves away from the screen. The pacing is probably the biggest issue for me, it takes a while for it to hit its stride but once it does, you find yourself submersed in the psychological horror themes that are ever present in the 2nd and 3rd act. That being said there’s a scene at the start that sets the tone and it really freaked me out, it was bold to kick off a film like that and although I don’t usually like directors taking that direction, it was certainly a statement. In regards to the cinematography there is a specific focus on natural light and this creates an incredibly dark tone, where the lighting is only coming from lamps and bare flames. This is also the film in which Anya Taylor-Joy really burst onto the scene, setting her course to become one of Hollywoods most in demand stars. The entire cast performed well but I was particularly impressed with Harvey Scrimshaw who played the role of Caleb brilliantly. It’s clear that Eggers carries out extensive research to make his films as accurate and authentic as possible and that’s why, although it’s a horror, it feels so realistic. He blends folklore with reality and understood that during the 17th century, they were the same thing. 

FINAL SCORE: 7.5/10

Thanks for reading

Callan