America’s history of devout religious beliefs has led to a few dark chapter in our nation’s history. Even before the founding of our democratic republic, the New England region was gripped with a hysteria over witches that left over 200 people accused and 20 executed. The Witch, the much-buzzed about horror film from writer-director Robert Eggers, tells a contained story based on actual testimony and documents that predate the Salem Witch Trials. It’s an engrossing horror film, one that slowly builds its tension and questions before unleashing its unique brand of havoc on the audience and its characters.
The Witch opens with William (Ralph Ineson), his family’s patriarch, speaking before a town council of a small New England town. “I cannot be judged by false Christians,” he says before accepting banishment for himself and his family. On the outskirts of the New England woods, William establishes a new farm for himself and his family, including matriarch Katherine (Kate Dickie) and their children Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw), twins Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson), and their newborn baby son. As if the hardships of the frontier weren’t enough to contend with, things start to take a dark turn when the infant son is suddenly kidnapped while under the watchful eye of his eldest sister Thomasin. It doesn’t take long for the family to be gripped with distrust and fear in the face of the unknown disappearance.
Unlike many modern horror films, The Witch doesn’t burden itself with too heavy a mythology. Don’t expect big answers about the mysterious forces because Robert Eggers understands that there’s much more terror in the unknown than in an unsatisfying explanation. Nor does the film seem to validate the religious aspects of its story, which is a side effect of many horror stories that deal with the supernatural. All of which isn’t to say that the film doesn’t carry with it some religious aspects, especially in regards to testing the faith of its characters, but it doesn’t demand that the problems of the film be solved by God. Perhaps that has led to the film being endorsed by the current head of the Church of Satan, though I wouldn’t dare say that the film is overwhelming in its satanic themes.
One of the most menacing aspects of The Witch is the relationship of the young twins Mercy and Jonas with the family’s black goat, Black Phillip. The two children routinely say, “Black Phillip says…” and with each and every turn their words become more and more unsettling and ominous. I won’t say what, but it’s quite obvious that there’s something just off with that little black goat.
As the father of a family seemingly forsaken by their god, Ralph Ineson gives a towering performance. His booming voice gives the devout religious fervor of his character a preacher-like sense of authenticity but also a sense of a looming threat. Kate Dickie also gives a strong performance as the mother whose faith is shaken by the horrors that have besieged her family. The real standout of The Witch is the young Anya Taylor Joy, who is at once frail and vulnerable with an inner strength that is required to survive in the harsh wilderness.
It’s a gorgeously shot movie, the cinematography by Jarin Blaschke employs mainly natural lighting, and has made the overcast desolation of its setting look striking and brilliant. Whether shooting in the woods or the dimly lit family home, Robert Eggers’ film makes the horrific hauntings of the supernatural appear so marvelous. Combined with the strong story and the assured editing of Louise Ford, The Witch contains a strong visual style that amplifies its dark themes.
The Witch is the first great horror film of 2016. It’s a dark film that tells a story from a dark chapter in our nation’s history. Robert Eggers has made a stunning feature directorial debut, one that is unsettling as it unfolds and shocking when it concludes. The film may be divisive among some horror fans who may not like the film’s deliberate pacing in setting up all the satanic scares that are to come later, but it’s impossible to deny the majesty of the craft employed by Eggers and company. Say your prayers, The Witch is going to be discussed for quite some time.
