Review of The Witch (2016) by Stellarnomad — 13 May 2016

Genre tags are useful to a point; shorthand if you will that, like review scores, allow a quick glance summary minus the benefit of contextual information. In this instance, it has arguably been detrimental to expectations.

Horror implies rules that The Witch gleefully disregards, replaced instead with a constant, escalating dread centered around the trials of a puritanical family banished to the edge of a forest. Reveling in an acute attention to period details, and wrapped in foreboding atmosphere, problems beset the family from the beginning and continue to stack, straining the family to breaking point and exposing rifts amongst them. The film manages to sustain this discomfort throughout, denying the viewer release as it denies the family, tuning you to their plight.

Much has already been written about the subtext of the film, and is better left for post-viewing dissection. While external threats abound, as much, if not more, are revealed within the family: repressed desires, guilt, fear and uncertainty, as potent as any actualized evil. What you take away from this film will ultimately reflect your own experiences as much as the Directors.

To state the obvious, certain films are more demanding of the viewer than others, not only requiring your full attention and patience, but the right mood as well to fully engage. This, for me, was one of said films. It is certainly deserving of a second watch if you find yourself unimpressed.

I love these films; you may not, and that's fine. Arguably, this is a niche film for a subset of viewers that crave more visual narrative. Complaints regarding the period accent are largely unfounded, and requests for subtitles unnecessary -- even if you don't understand every word uttered, enough is understood to fill in the gaps. Don't let this be a deterrent.

I'll await with interest, Robert Eggers next effort.