Written and directed by Robert Eggers in his directorial debut, The Witch is already a critical and commercial success. Having won a directing award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, Robert Eggers has certainly made an impact with this thought provoking tale of a Puritan family who is torn apart due to unforeseen circumstances. Despite being marketed as a generic horror, The Witch is as arthouse as you can get. No jump scares or cheap gimmicks are to be seen, and instead, we’re given a slow burning, atmospheric story that plays out more like a family drama than a horror.
With the majority of the film’s dialogue and story being taken from writings and local folklore of the Puritan era, we’re given an authentic take on a family’s slow descent into religious hysteria. Religion is a huge driving force that is thematically dominant throughout as tensions of paranoia begin to brew amongst the family. There are many other themes that are present, ranging from man’s coexistence with nature, to life and death. At its heart, however, The Witch is a tale of a family struggling with their religion.
Robert Eggers is extremely discreet when it comes to the supernatural side, as we only catch glimpses of certain events and are often left questioning ourselves towards the crux of the family’s crisis. Combined with Jarin Blaschke’s stunning cinematography, The Witch is brooding with angst as a wash of cold colours surround the screen like a blanket of misery.
One of the biggest problems, however, is the overall tone. Although the movie looks brooding, it by no means feels it. The attempts at tension fall flat and at no point did The Witch conjure up any disturbed feelings of discomfort or fright. This is an issue, especially when considering that the supernatural elements should install at least some sort of emotion. Instead, only the feelings of detachment and gradual boredom were present.
Overall, The Witch is a beautifully shot film, with an interesting script. Robert Eggers is without a doubt a talent to be reckoned with and his passion for the subject matter can be felt, however, the lack of tension is something that is gravely missed, especially when one considers the content.
If you’re a fan of the Puritan era and are interested in the folklore, then it’s maybe worth a watch. Just don’t be expecting any thrills or chills. A strong, noble effort that is refreshingly different from the usual trash that’s churned out by companies such as Platinum Dunes. Some may very well find it terrifying, however, as with all horror, it’s completely down to the individual.