Review of The Witch (2016) by Kate T — 10 Oct 2018

A haunting tale of faith and family.

The Witch (2015) is a period horror film that pits a Puritan family against one another with some witchcraft on the side. The heavy themes of faith, hope, family, parenting, superstition, and trust are deeply explored during the short running time.

The brisk story is told with a keen eye for interesting close ups and creepy natural setting from director Robert Eggers. Eggers clearly had a strong vision for The Witch. His dark storytelling is notable for not relying on jump scares, but rather a crescendo of insanity and disturbing images. Endless zooming in shots and shocking sudden sequences captivate your imagination with fright like no other modern horror movie. It feels more like a movie out of the 1970's school of filmmaking rather than 2015. I think Eggers has a bright future as an innovative indie director.

Anya Taylor-Joy is phenomenal in her breakout role as Thomasin in The Witch. She portrays a devout Puritan who questions her faith, a doting daughter who disobeys her father, and a loving sister who protects her siblings. These aspects to her character are pitted against each other and force her to choose her own path. I found Anya to display deep emotional range. Her demonstration of fear, adoration, and uncertainty are peerless. She exudes a magnetic persona. Your eyes are just drawn to her in every scene. Taylor-Joy is wonderful in The Witch and she continues her excellent run of acting roles in Split (2016) and Thoroughbreds (2018). I highly recommend all 3 films.

Lastly, I must mention the excellent performances from Ralph Ineson and Katie Dickie as the parents William and Katherine. Their acting of fervent belief in their God, their manic paranoia, and stellar old accents are something to behold. Ineson, in particular, impressed me with his gravelly voice, lumbering walk, intense outbursts, and subtle despair or doubt to be quite convincing. Just outstanding acting from both Ineson and Dickie.

Overall, if you want to watch a horror movie that is a slow burn, but passes off tremendously, check out The Witch. It is a fascinating character study of old period Puritan family dynamics while offering some ungodly imagery.