A devout Puritan family in 1630s New England are exiled from their village, and struggle to survive in their new home situated at the edge of a mysterious forest. The sinister, witching forces in the wilderness emerge silently to terrorize them, first by kidnapping the youngest of their five children. As their life-sustaining crops fail, the clan fall victim to paranoia and fear as they begin to turn on one another, eventually suspecting teenage daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) of witchcraft. With the vast majority of the dialogue culled from primary sources from the time period, Robert Eggers' debut feature The Witch is a terrifying glimpse into a family descending into madness. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi
Director: Robert Eggers
Release Date: Feb
19, 2016
Rated R For disturbing violent content and graphic
nudity.
Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.
Genres: Horror
Cast: Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Julian Richings,
Vivienne Moore
Review:
The Witch is a impressive moody period horror film that
is expertly crafted from the top down.
Robert Eggers’ debut film is meticulously crafted exercise in subtly. Eggers builds and maintains tension
throughout the film by using the solitary setting for a maximum effect. The film owes a cinematic debt Kubrick’s The
Shining by playing up a lot of similar themes even though the build up more
tempered and methodical. Eggers is
blessed with a fully committed cast who deliver excellent performances all
around with Anya Tayor-Joy leaving a lasting impression. Taylor-Joy, who looks like the world saddest
Hummel figurine, conveys so much through her face and eyes, it’s a terribly
impressive performance for such a young actress. The Witch is the type of high quality horror film
that that rarely comes around in a genre which is usually littered with
garbage.
A
