The Witch (2016) (English Language)

Review

93min

Genre:       Horror, Drama, Mystery

Director:    Robert Eggers

Cast:         Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie…and more

Writer:      Robert Eggers

-Synopsis-

In the search for a more pious existence, a family of 17th century puritanical English settlers leave their plantation for the isolation of rural New England, but dark forces in the woods will test their faith and threaten their family in this stark period horror from production designer turned writer/director Robert Eggers.

After the huge disappointment of ‘The Forest’, another creepy forest horror directorial debut, our expectations were lowered for Robert Eggers’ first feature.

But we needn’t have worried as ‘The Witch’ is a meticulously crafted and assured debut which works well as an unsettling and earthy supernatural horror, but even better as possibly the most disturbing family drama you’ll see for a while.

‘Game of Thrones’ alumni Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie star as the patriarch and matriarch of the family, struggling to keep their children safe in tough circumstances and dealing with unexplained tragedy the only way they know how, through deepening faith and servitude.

And that’s partly what ‘The Witch’ is about. A semi-historical warning tale about the fear and repression that comes with religious zealotry, but it also uses these themes to spice up the menacing supernatural narrative as well as the true core of the story. Ultimately ‘The Witch’ is a dark and haunting drama about how a family deals with the effects of dark forces, both external and from within.

This means though that from a pure horror standpoint, ‘The Witch’ is not concerned with ramping up the scares-per-minute and features a distinct lack of predictable techniques like cheap jump-scares. Instead Robert Eggers builds tension with an ominous atmosphere and vividly disturbing visuals, as well as the use of period dialogue in the form of “early modern English” dialect.

The result, although not terrifying in a basic horror way, is a layered and unsettling horror/drama with a bleak aesthetic and building tension which captivates and leaves a mark on the audience. A welcome addition to a recent mini wave of indie horrors like ‘The Babadook’ and ‘It Follows’, which have reinvigorated a stagnant genre by infusing creativity and narrative depth, while still totally creeping us out.

The Bottom Line…

As much an unsettling family period drama as it is a supernatural horror, ‘The Witch’ is a meticulously well crafted and layered little indie folktale which will disturb and captivate in equal measure, an impressive directorial debut from Robert Eggers which might make you stop complaining about your own family… or thank your lucky stars you live in the 21st century.

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Similar films you may like (Home Video)

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The schizophrenic and terrifying footage of a group of college kids is brought to life after they disappear into a notorious forest while investigating the local Blair Witch legend in this, the genesis of the found-footage revolution in horror.

Directed by Daniel Myrick & Eduardo Sánchez and  starring Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams and Joshua Leonard among others.

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