The Witch
Dir: Robert Eggers
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey
Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, and Lucas Dawson
The horror genre has seen all variety of evil beings
throughout its illustrious history. The living dead, vengeful spirits, stalking
slashers, and giant monsters have all had their day to scare. But there is one
monster that consistently holds a place in nightmares, the witch. There are
more than a few people who were creeped out as kids by the cackling green wicked
witch and the decrepit, cloaked witch offering an apple. While the mythology
behind witches has become restrained by kid friendly renditions seen in the
Harry Potter franchise, the reality is that the historical nature of the witch
is far more dark and malicious. “The Witch” is an impressive directorial debut
from Robert Eggers, it takes folklore and turns it into a mature examination of
fear on numerous levels, fashioning one of the most stunning and unsettling
horror films of the last decade.
It’s 1630, William (Ralph Ineson), Katherine (Kate Dickie)
and their three children are forced to leave their New England community over
religious indifferences. William leads his tight-knit family to a remote
territory at the edge of the forest, hoping to sustain his family by living off
the land and things slowly begin to go terribly wrong. Thomasin (Anya
Taylor-Joy) is the eldest child; she has many responsibilities around their new
home including helping her mom care for the newborn baby. Under Thomasin’s care
the newborn is snatched away during a playful game of peek-a-boo. This is the
beginning of the family’s dismantling by evil forces living in the forest.
There have been some exceptional horror films that have come
out over the past years, “The Babadook”, “It Follows”, and “The Conjuring” are
a few that come to mind. What separates good horror from mediocre horror, this also applies to most films, is an
understanding of the genre and how the use of convention and the structure of
story accommodate one another best and most effectively. It’s not only about
jump scares and gore, it’s about building an atmosphere that pulls the viewer
into the world and establishes an identity that can be manipulated by the
characteristics familiar to the genre.
“The Witch” does all of this exceptionally well. The setup
is a 1630’s Puritan foundation in the New World. The community is steeped in
religious fundamentalism, controlled by a doctrine influenced by fear and
motivated by judgment and repentance. Take these elements and inject evil
doings like witchcraft and black magic and the story becomes a struggle of dark
overtaking light. But director Robert Eggers understands that there is more to
the composition than just these elements, from this starting point Mr. Eggers
introduces the struggle of a family leaving the familiar and moving into the
unknown, from their departure with their homeland in England and their
banishment from their religious community in the New World, this family is
experiencing immense change. They are quickly recognized as outsiders in a new
society, forced to survive by any means necessary. And survival, as seen in
many cinematic affairs, has a way of changing people, of making them see the
world in different, threatening ways.
The minimalistic qualities within the film are exceptionally
rendered. The photography, which is shot as if the clouds are slowly capturing
the sky, composes imagery that is beautiful in both its subdued and terrifying
moments. Most of the photography is shot within natural settings creating an
environment on the verge of darkness many times, the score is often touched
with silence saving big sound for the big payoffs of shock.
The family is a fascinating mix. A father whose biggest foe
is his pride, a mother racked with guilt and sorrow, and two maturing children
dealing with new emotions. Thomasin, played splendidly by Anya Taylor-Joy,
matures consistently throughout the course of the film. Her timid demeanor
transitions into one that is resolute and confident, all the while everything
around her unravels in the worst possible way. Is her maturation a calling to
the forces that lurk in the woods? Her progression is influenced by characters
like Suzy Bannion from “Susperia” or even Carrie White from “Carrie”. Caleb, the
intense yet delicate Harvey Scrimshaw, is also experiencing a rush of feelings.
Whether the inherent role during this time of men embodying protector and
provider characteristics or the sexual curiosity of a young man at the crossing
line of puberty, Caleb is enticed in numerous ways. Mr. Eggers utilizes these
characters in creative ways, allowing the dramatic elements to float slowly to
the surface as the dread mounts.
Dread may not come close to describing the sensation the
“The Witch” produces. It’s something more, something darker and more authentic
than the term embodies. It’s a nightmare that you can’t wake up from, one that
lures you into the world and then forces you to keep going when you want to
turn back. “The Witch” is simply impressive filmmaking that crafts a
relentlessly tormenting horror film.
Monte’s Rating
5.00 out of 5.00
No comments:
Post a Comment