Review of The Witch (2016) by Jeffrey C — 06 Oct 2016

I'm sorry, but I have to agree this movie is boooooring.

I did understand the archaic English dialog. It was for me the most interesting aspect of the film, hearing lines like "it doth vex me" delivered naturally and not with stage-actor pomposity.

Yes, there is dramatic tension and horror. The deeply religious family struggles with their own internal divisions and crises of faith unaware of what the audience knows from the start: There are in fact real Satan-worshipping witches lurking in the woods. Despite their deep, profound, literal faith the family is unwilling to acknowledge that supernatural forces are at work, blaming their misfortunes on animals, God's just punishment. and mischievous children instead.

But, the film takes too long and the payoff is too little, too late.

In a way The Witch reminds me of the film Jacob's Ladder: A fantastic concept that would have been a stunning short film ruined by dragging it out into a feature film.