Review of The Witch (2016) by Pipec — 16 Apr 2016

"The VVitch": A jewel of pure horror since "The Conjuring" film.

Robert Eggers joins the list of the best directors in the genre of the horror of the decade with his first invention of the genre, along with my great idol, James Wan.

There are great attributes in the film, the most important "printing". It is logical to think that the movie will comply with poor requirements of today's horror films, but no, this goes beyond, it has tone, it has history, it has soul and has strength. The debut of the director and writer Robert Eggers revolutionizes the genre for the 21st century; trampling all the cliches of the genre and proposing a new face for horror films, it is intelligent, absorbing, stressful and really leaves the audience with a trauma after leaving the theater.

The project of Eggers has own terror and does not need jump-scares or any other discounted help to create an atmosphere that even without that it passes nothing wrong feels tension and danger. Perhaps, it is true that "The VVitch" won't have the same thematic impact that had "The Blair Witch Project" in 1991 but if it will have a drastic impact on films of last 5 decades. To create a masterpiece like this, it is not necessary to record scenes difficult to understand ("Inception" - "Donnie Darko") but record scenes difficult to see, film does not take decisions easy but is one of the few excellent horror films where the psychological is not the first trick. The only purpose of the director was capturing the true tale of the New England where religion took side against evil.

An extremely religious family composed by mother (Katherine - Kate Dickie) - a Christian woman committed 100 percent to pray and be in communion in all respects religious-, father (William - Ralph Ineson) - a woodcutter who must confront himself for standing to his family and deal with everything that is over him-, the eldest daughter, and face female protagonist of the movie (Thomasin - Anya Taylor-Joy) - a teenager girl from a religious family that's happening by physical and hormonal changes typical for a young man who is prone to overlook the situation that will give a twist to the plot of her life-, the duo of younger siblings, (and so frightening).

Mercy and Jonas - Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson)-two ordinary children who serve as gate to destroy the little stability that the family had had after they banished them (this sounds very similar to "Adam and Eve") is confronted to begin again once they were evacuated from the villa where they remained (have to take into account that it is the MDCXXX century (16th century), where there are no hotel, houses or shelters) for purely religious reasons. The father being the head of the family, decides to entrust himself to the Lord and bring them to a forgotten forest to begin a new life together filled with love and peace. After settling there, children play, the father imitates a grower, mother do household chores with her daughter, all normal, until evil touches to their door. Strange but meticulously timed events begin to happen and tension and flame of the film is born and progresses in an uncontrollable manner.

A big plus for the movie was the period where was record it, where everything seemed a film of horror, even Eggers' team make it seem better than it was at that time. It is imposing the eye and hand of the director for a show scene with such high quality, dark, evil, totally expressionless. Touching parameters of all horror films but revolutionizing them, as the rain where terror was more dramatic than physical, the forest, where someone was not intended them, someone wanted them, the witch, the presentations were great, Eggers is my third master.

The cast is perfect. The formula is again present. No Hollywood stars is needed to give tone and fame to this project. The little unknown cast made us familiarize ourselves better with the characters and in part served to launch the notoriety to Anya Taylor-Joy (born in Miami, but proudly bred by latinos) and two children.

The first appearance of the witch is totally frightening and surprising, it makes to scream to the public with natural elements, with images and a monumental instrumentation that decorate the scene as a typical and disturbing tale of fear.

The second appearance of the witch is too much "Red Riding Hood" but the more praised. I have no words to express the mysticism, finesse but at once grotesque introduction, ambience, scenery, everything, everything...

While some people, the end not has seemed them very good, for my was the best, and that it was the result of an excellent game, that had that be the end and the way how they projected it was ambitious, real and mysterious. Colors, soundtrack, photography, cinemtography, art, performances and the contribution to the genre of mystery and horror is colossal. It left a mark, a record.