Review of The Wicker Man (1973) by Archibald T — 22 Mar 2011
A police officer is sent to Summerisle to search for a missing girl: Rowan Morrison. In his investigation, he stumbles upon rituals. These rituals are based on the pagan religion. He is a strict christian and doesn't understand the lust which inhabits much of the women on the island. Most of them have sex under the moon light, strip naked before a fire before jumping over it in some sort of fertility ritual. Even the officer is tempted by one woman in the room next to him.
She sings, naked, trying to lure him to her. He doesn't succomb to her advices. What a fool.
As the investigation twists and turns in discovering that Rowan might be dead, he discovers her grave, digs up the casket and discovers no body, but a dead rabbit. He confronts Lord Summerisle (played by Christopher Lee) complaining about the lack of the christian religion on the island. Everything is nonsense to the officer and you start to wish he'd get his comeuppance.
The officer eventually puts two and two together concerning the islands May Day festival where they sacrifice something to appease the sun god since their harvest this year wasn't a success. He assumes that Rowan will be that sacrifice instead it's a trap because it's him.
The ending is great clash of Christian values and Pagan Rituals when the officer is tied up and placed in the belly of the wicker man. The people of Summerisle set it a blaze with the officer inside quoting Pslams 23 while the rest of the islanders sing a folk song. It's such a beautiful and creepy scene and I guess we'll never know if this sacrifice brought the people of summerisle their crops for the harvest.
This review of The Wicker Man (1973) was written by Archibald T on 22 Mar 2011.
The Wicker Man has generally received mixed reviews.
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