"The Witch" is a horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers. Released in 2015, it is set in 17th century New England and tells the story of a Puritan family banished from their community and forced to live at the edge of a sinister forest. The film follows their descent into paranoia and madness as they believe they are being plagued by a witch. Eggers approaches the horror genre with a unique perspective, using historical accuracy and attention to detail to immerse the audience in the unsettling atmosphere of the period. The film is known for its slow-burn tension and psychological horror, rather than relying on jump scares or supernatural elements. It delves into themes of isolation, religious fanaticism, and the fear of the unknown.
But we must ask: is she evil? Is that what witches are? The most daring and sensible thing would be to embrace the notion that witchcraft, whether ancient or modern, is merely an idiosyncratic expression of the witch herself. Women boiling potions or breaking glass ceilings or smashing the patriarchy are just transforming matter: that’s the nature of magic, after all. Hexing and healing are two sides of a coin (make mine a Susan B. Anthony dollar, please). Thomasin goes to the woods willingly, and what she finds there is not exile, but communion.
Kramer and Sprenger, the German misogynists who penned the 16th century witch hunting manual Malleus Maleficarum , wrote All witchcraft stems from carnal desire, which is in women insatiable. Echoing some less-is-more terror narratives of recent years The Blair Witch Project , Session 9 , Martha Marcy May Marlene , Eggers brief jolts of violence seem perfectly calibrated to knock us out of our seats not by generating horror on the screen, but within our viscera.
It delves into themes of isolation, religious fanaticism, and the fear of the unknown. "The Witch" boasts impressive cinematography and a haunting score that further adds to the eerie atmosphere. The film's visual style, with its emphasis on natural lighting and dark, foreboding landscapes, creates a sense of unease that lingers throughout.
Why you need to watch: The Witch (2015)
This is entry 1 in a series of blogs/reviews of what I call The Incredibles (and no, The Pixar Incredibles is not going to be on here), a list of games and movies that I think represent the very best of their medium in some way or another. These are purely personal opinions, so if you want to attack them, fine. Just know that I put a lot of thought into every one. If it is successful and people respond to them, I'll post one every week until I run out. I randomized the order, so they're not ranked or anything. First up is The Witch, by Robert Eggers. Enjoy! Or not.
More than anything else, Robert Eggers' horror masterpiece The Witch is a film of nouns. A trial. A baby. A forest. A broomstick. A woman. An apple. A rabbit. A raven. And a goat.
More so than even The Blair Witch Project, The Witch represents the stereotypical evil old hag of legend as a force of pure malevolence, as something to be feared, able to effortlessly turn everything the unfortunate group has against them. Traces of distrust are amplified a hundredfold. Guns misfire. Crops refuse to grow. Long-forgotten grudges boil to the surface. Religious beliefs are used as weapons instead of shields. From the instant Thomasin (played with exemplary restraint by the beautiful Anya Taylor-Joy) and her kin are banished from the plantation, the spectre of misfortune and corruption hangs over the film, as thick as a fog, assuredly palpable in its existence. What might have otherwise been a quaint, idyllic piece of land is transformed into a foreboding hellscape by a carefully muted color palette, extraordinary use of space, and Mark Korven's delightfully unhinged score. The acts and speech of the once-close-knit family graduate from merely tense, past irrational to borderline indescribable at an alarming rate.
The performances are uniformly excellent, sometimes to an unsettling degree. Watch for any scenes in the cabin's attic to find the clearest evidence; what these actors manage to do is harrowing in its effectiveness. Aside from the aforementioned Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson as the father William is truly marvelous. The range of emotions he has to portray in the script encompasses pretty much the full negative spectrum (often switching gears at a moment's notice), and he never falters. But this isn't to downplay the skill of all of these performers, since every character gets their turn in the spotlight at one point or another. It really is quite something.
Unfortunately, to go into too much more detail about the actual plot is difficult, since nearly every event, major and minor, has a significant impact on the characters that are the center of the narrative. To reveal that there is, in fact, a real witch cursing the family is not a spoiler (it's revealed in the first fifteen minutes). And suffice it to say that if you are knowledgeable in eastern United States folklore then a good amount of what transpires will seem familiar. But as usual, what's important is not the story that's told. What matters is how the author tells it, and The Witch was blessed with a wonderful one.
More so than even The Blair Witch Project, The Witch represents the stereotypical evil old hag of legend as a force of pure malevolence, as something to be feared, able to effortlessly turn everything the unfortunate group has against them. Traces of distrust are amplified a hundredfold. Guns misfire. Crops refuse to grow. Long-forgotten grudges boil to the surface. Religious beliefs are used as weapons instead of shields. From the instant Thomasin (played with exemplary restraint by the beautiful Anya Taylor-Joy) and her kin are banished from the plantation, the spectre of misfortune and corruption hangs over the film, as thick as a fog, assuredly palpable in its existence. What might have otherwise been a quaint, idyllic piece of land is transformed into a foreboding hellscape by a carefully muted color palette, extraordinary use of space, and Mark Korven's delightfully unhinged score. The acts and speech of the once-close-knit family graduate from merely tense, past irrational to borderline indescribable at an alarming rate.
Eggers effectively uses close-ups and long shots to capture the characters' increasing paranoia and unraveling sanity. Anya Taylor-Joy delivers a standout performance as Thomasin, the adolescent daughter of the family. Her portrayal of a young woman torn between her family's religious beliefs and her own desires is both captivating and disturbing. The rest of the cast, including Ralph Ineson as the father and Kate Dickie as the mother, also deliver strong performances, adding to the film's authenticity and tension. "The Witch" received critical acclaim for its originality and ability to genuinely frighten the audience. It won the Directing Award in the U.S. Dramatic category at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Despite its success, the film divided audiences due to its slow pacing and ambiguous ending, which left many questions unanswered. Overall, "The Witch" is a chilling and thought-provoking horror film that stands out from other entries in the genre. It combines historical accuracy, psychological horror, and outstanding performances to create a memorable and unsettling experience for those brave enough to embrace it..
Reviews for "Discover the magic within The witch prevoew"
1. Jane - 2 stars: The Witch trailer was a disappointment for me. I was expecting a thrilling horror film, but all I saw was confusion and lack of clarity. The trailer didn't give away much of the plot and left me wondering what the movie was actually about. The slow pacing and eerie music didn't help either, as it just made the trailer feel even more dull and uninteresting. Overall, I was not impressed and don't have high hopes for the actual movie.
2. Mark - 3 stars: I watched The Witch trailer with high expectations, but it failed to deliver. The trailer seemed promising at first, with its chilling atmosphere and creepy imagery. However, as the trailer progressed, it became clear that the film relied heavily on jump scares and clichéd horror elements. The storyline appeared to be weak and predictable, lacking originality. I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninterested in watching the full movie after watching the trailer.
3. Sarah - 2 stars: The Witch trailer left me confused and unimpressed. It seemed like a mishmash of different horror elements without a clear direction. The visuals were dark and eerie, but they didn't make much sense in the context of the trailer. The lack of a coherent plot or interesting characters made me doubt whether the movie would be worth watching. Overall, the trailer failed to intrigue me or build any anticipation for the actual film.