Filmology Rating: 3 out of 4

In 1630 New England, a family is tested when the youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes with no explanation. The family blames the oldest daughter Thomasin who was watching the baby at the time of the disappearance. With this mysterious and traumatic event, suspicion and paranoia increases more and more until the family is soon torn apart. The youngest twin siblings suspect Thomasin of witchcraft and soon the family doesn’t know what to believe, especially after another unexplained instance happens. A family who is torn apart is now susceptible to whatever horrors the woods have to offer. Now I have to mention right off the bat that this is not a typical horror movie and this movie will not be for everyone. If you go into this movie expecting it be a typical modern day horror movie, then you will feel very disappointed with The Witch. If you do decide to go see this movie, be prepared for a slow building horror/suspense movie about the emotional turmoil that a family goes through. While this movie is marketed as a horror movie, it really isn’t that scary. There are very few if any moments that are actually scary. What this film brings forth is more of an uncomfortable and unsettling experience that will make you feel like this is something that you shouldn’t be watching. That’s how lifelike this movie feels to the viewer. The way that this movie is made is cinematically beautiful and is a masterpiece. The viewer should be admiring the little details in which this film is made. The Witch takes place in a remote wooded area of England and never leaves this area and because of this, it really makes you feel like you are there with the family. Many times I felt like I was there with the family and experiencing what each of the characters were going through.

Now I have to give so much credit to the fantastic debut of writer and director Robert Eggers. I thought that each character, except for a few instances, were very relatable and very well written. Anya Taylor-Joy who played Thomasin (also her debut as an actress) was beyond her years with her talent. She and her dad in this film were very emotional and powerful characters that were great to watch. Then the way this movie was filmed and shot was cinematically mature for a debut director. I very much look forward to what this group has to offer in other future films. A detail that some people might miss is the usage of color throughout the film. You will see almost all dull shades of grays, browns, and greens. The only time you will see a more vibrant color is when he wants you too. I feel that this and the music throughout the film very much add to the unsettling feeling of the film. One last thing that I thought was brilliant is how they portray the character of the “witch” in this movie. It is not portrayed in a typical sense at all and this was awesome to see. Not to spoil anything at all, but just try and notice the little details of the “witch” and everything it entails. Really the only issue that I had with this movie is in this one scene. It was a very intense moment that was lessened by the twins and how they acted. It didn’t quite fit with what was going on and it lost some intensity that the scene had built up to. Other than that, this movie will leave you thinking about everything that happened and unfolded. I am still thinking about the movie a day after seeing it and pondering all the little details of the film. As I mentioned, The Witch will not be for everyone and I can completely understand why a lot of people will not like this movie. If you do go to see it, take notice in the little details that all add up to make this movie the masterpiece that it is.

Rating: See It 

-Nick

With The Witch, first time director Robert Eggers has crafted a truly unique film. Part classic horror film and part historical drama, The Witch truly stands apart as a film. The greatest strengths of The Witch can also be viewed as its greatest weakness. 

At its core, The Witch is a family drama about a devout Christian family in New England. After being banished from the town in which they live, the family of five children must homestead out in the wilderness. Minutes into the film we see the family farm and the vast wilderness that surround it. Within the first five minutes we witness the mysterious disappearance of the family infant son and the mysterious figure that kidnapped him. To call this opening scene shocking would be a dramatic understatement. The film dramatically sets a tone that is built on slowly throughout. 

The greatest strength of The Witch is its ability to solidly place the viewer in the time and place where these events take place. Director Robert Eggers painstakingly created a film that pays extra special attention to historical authenticity. This authenticity is seen in every character, every line of dialogue, and every prop. Making a movie so authentic helps us better experience the setting, but it also alienates us to a degree. The dialogue in The Witch is often very difficult to understand. A viewer will be able to draw the overall meaning, but they may miss some of the finer points of the writing. Overall, the attention to authenticity does an excellent job of setting the tone and setting, even if it does alienate the viewer to a degree. 

As a film, The Witch is slowly paced. Dramatic moments that are a staple of modern horror films are few and far between. The true horror of The Witch is created through its incredibly unsettling atmosphere. Increasing tension between the family members is only heightened by the terrifying degree of isolation that the family must endure in the wilderness. Director Robert Eggers pays special attention to the wilderness that surround the family. His excellent camerawork highlights the biological fear that many of us hold deep within our minds. The twisted and gnarled branches of trees have been used in countless horror movies throughout the history of film. Rarely have they been as terrifying as they are here. 

In terms of message, The Witch takes its time to examine how a traditional Christian family functions in the 1600s. Paranoia and superstition run rampant and the differences between the genders are clearly displayed. The Witch proposes many interesting ideas about why historical events such as “The Salem Witch Trials” may have occurred. 

When it comes to horror films The Witch falters a bit. The films classic take on horror is a refreshing departure from modern horror, but the film doesn’t always do enough to engage the viewer. Inclusion of several more dramatic events may have helped the films overall pacing. What I did find in The Witch were several moments that were truly terrifying. These moments reminded me of several key moments from Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. I personally believe that The Witch is the type of horror film that haunts us, even if it doesn’t always entertain us.

Rating: See It

-Tyler