The Witch

I have a feeling that The Witch is going to be one of those movies that divide audiences, and creates a lot of discussion about its merits as a film, as well as what it is really about.  For his debut feature, writer-director Robert Eggers has created an eerily quiet horror story that would best be told by firelight.  It is a story of suspicion, isolation and religious superstition told against the backdrop of an early American wilderness.  There is clearly something out there in the woods, and it takes many forms in order to threaten a Puritan era family.  But those expecting a quick jolt would do better watching another movie.  This is a film about mounting dread, and in that sense, this movie is as captivating and spellbinding as any recent horror film.

The movie has been subtitled "A New England Folktale", and what is truly remarkable about Eggers' film is how he blends historical accuracy with the supernatural.  Everybody in the film speaks in an old English dialect, and a postscript at the end of the film explains that the dialogue was inspired by court transcripts from the 1630s when the film is set.  This is not an overwrought melodrama where actors walk around in period specific clothing, and speak a lot of overly scripted sounding dialogue with a lot of "thees" and "thous" added in to try to sound authentic.  Like a lot of stories set in this time period, it is set around the suspicion of witchcraft.  However, this time, there is something truly evil going on, and it takes on many forms during the course of the film.  With the suspicions of the family at the center of it all mounting, and the evil clearly lurking just on the outskirts of the forest that surrounds their home, it doesn't take long for us to get completely wrapped up in it all.  I don't know if the usual teenage horror crowd who are used to fast thrills will think much of this, but I personally was loving every minute.

As the film opens, a New England family made up of the father William (Ralph Ineson), mother Katherine (Kate Dickey) and their five children are forced to leave their village because their religious beliefs clash with those of the village council.  They set out into the wilderness to create a new home and lifestyle, and settle on a land just on the outskirts of the wilderness.  It does not take long for ominous events to start mounting, as their youngest infant son mysteriously disappears.  This will be the first of many mysterious tragedies that will befall the family regarding their children during the course of the film.  As things grow worse, William tries to stay pious and righteous, while Katherine silently fears that they are paying for their sins.  At the center of it all is the family's eldest daughter, Thomasin, played by bright young newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy.  As things get worse for the family (starting with dead crops, and leading up to more ominous and supernatural events, such as a goat producing blood instead of milk), they start to turn against each other, and particularly against her, due to her outspoken behavior.  Thomasin professes innocence, and it is Taylor-Joy's emotional and powerful performance that drives a majority of the film's intensity.

The Witch is in no hurry to get to where it is going, but it is never once boring, nor does it feel like the plot is meandering of wasting its time.  It sets up an atmospheric mood early on with the barren landscape and woods, and only grows from there.  From the shots of the family saying their evening prayers around the table by candlelight, to the mounting dread of what really does lie just beyond the trees, this movie creates a perfect tone of isolation and suspicion that sweeps over you as events build.  As the disasters facing the family mount, the movie builds at a deliberate pace, and finally reaches a climax that is as shocking as it is effective.  The performances also do a fantastic job of creating the mood of the film.  I've already pointed out Anya Taylor-Joy as giving one of the truly great young actress performances I have seen in a while, but the entire cast matches her every step.  As the family goes from close knit with secrets, to all out suspicions and accusations, we believe that we are watching a crumbling family unit, and everyone is sensational in not just delivering the Old English dialogue, but also creating tension and empathy for their characters.

Similar to the best recent independent horror films like It Follows or The Babadook, this is a movie that gets under your skin and stays there long after it is over.  You can reflect on the film, and wonder if the supernatural elements were real, or simply the nightmares of an overly suspicious Puritan family that is being torn apart.  There is something clearly evil going on, the movie makes no question on where it stands on that issue.  And yet, you also have to wonder if some of the events we see are being told by an unreliable narrator.  It can create some wonderful discussion, and honestly, when was the last time a horror film you've seen has done that?  As for how scary the movie is, that's obviously a matter of personal preference.  The movie made feel uneasy with its isolation and some of the images.  The fact that not everything we see is explained adds an even more chilling factor to them, in my opinion.  Like I said, this won't do it for anyone looking for a quick thrill, but if you're in the mood for a slow burn horror, this is one of the better examples in a long time.

The Witch shows a true sense of style and atmosphere, and I hope that is something that Robert Eggers will not lose when Hollywood clearly comes calling after this.  We have seen a lot of first-time filmmakers make brilliant debuts, only to fall victims to the Studio System.  I hope he holds out for something truly great for his follow up.  His debut feature shows great potential, and I can only imagine where he goes from here.

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