The Witch Review
by: Jason Okanlawon
I finally saw the movie The Witch for myself last night. Honestly, I was too creeped out to sit at my computer to write this review, so I left all the lights on in my apartment, dove under my blanket, and went straight to bed. Actually, sleeping was a problem for a while though. Such was the effect of The Witch, a movie by first-time director Robert Eggers from a script apparently written by him as well.
This is one of those rare movies where every single part of it seems to come together perfectly to create a piece of cinema that elevates itself from all other films in its supposed genre to the realm of art. The opening notes from a score by Mark Korven lay the groundwork for a truly masterful experience in movie cinema. The haunting dissonance of the instruments envelops the audience in a cloud of disconcerting eeriness. The first scene lets the audience know how serious the movie is going to take itself. From the ancient dialogue to the austere settings, you begin to get a sense that this is a movie that deserves your undivided attention.
We are introduced to a New England family in the 1830s as they are banished from their plantation for differences with the beliefs of the elders and the people. The father of five played by Game of Thrones alum Ralph Ineson promises the family a better life elsewhere and so their journey begins. However in come the dissonant tones from Mark Korven’s instruments telling you that all will be far from well.
The family settle in a field close to a forest with everything seeming perfect for a while. Ralph Ineson as the father works hard to provide for the family by growing crops while Kate Dickie, another Game of Thrones alum plays the mother doting on her newborn baby. All is well until tragedy strikes which begins the spiral of the family’s dynamic into madness.
From this point on, the movie plays out less like a horror movie and more like a mystery thriller. We are introduced to many potentially guilty parties such as witches and demonic animals. Even doubt is cast on almost every family member as the story unfolds and coincidence after coincidence happens so that you cannot help but feel what Ralph Ineson’s character feels when he lashes out in anger at everyone.
Newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy was an absolute revelation. It’s rare to find an actor/actress to take dialogue like this and make it sound believable but she did it perfectly. It would almost be a shame at this point to see her in a different movie with more modern dialogue. She chewed up every scene she was in and made us to feel her plight as the plot thickened and suspicions were cast in her direction. Other absolute delights were her little siblings; one of whom was played by Harvey Scrimshaw, who at his age is a better actor than half of Hollywood. The younger kids were played with gusto by Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson.
If you are a horror movie enthusiast and you are looking for jump scares, this movie is not for you. The cinematography by Jarin Blaschke forces you to become immersed in each scene, especially in the truly horrifying moments where there is almost no accompanying musical notes to prompt the viewer to be scared. You will be scared regardless. It is a movie that creeps inside you and won’t let you go even after you leave the cinema. Never has a tale of malevolence been so enthralling or a descent into evil so enticing. By the time you reach the end, you will agree without a doubt that something profoundly wicked this way has come, and its name is The Witch. Watch it…if you dare.
