Review of The Witch (2016) by James D — 11 Jun 2016

Straight out of the gate I'm going to tell you all one thing, when it comes to horror films, I have a hard time watching them and reviewing them, mainly because it is hard to find a decent one these days. "The Witch" has had me interested since I saw the first trailer 8 months ago, it made me feel like something fresh was coming, something actually terrifying. So, just keep that in mind when you read this, they aren't my favorite cup of tea.

"The Witch," takes us to New England, in the 1630's. A family is getting banned from their village, no one knows why really, and is forced to move out into the wilderness, build a farm, and survive. That already gives you a dark feel for the film. It's the 1630's, you're new to the continent, and you just got booted out of your village. Probably because one of your 5 kids kicked the blacksmith's chicken or something. Time goes on and you see this family work together, to live and grow on their own, when all of a sudden, literally from underneath her nose, the oldest sister loses the baby brother. The Twin's blame their oldest sister for this, the parents think it's a wolf, and the boy also thinks it's a wolf. The truth is much more terrifying, and by the title you can guess what it is. I am not going to say much else, it's a horror film, bad things happen, weird things happen, gross things happen. I'm spoiler free, so you'll have to see for yourself. Just know that it isn't like today's horror, it's a massive slow burn that leads to 10 minutes of fruition that is as enjoyable as jump scares throughout a late 2000's horror film.

The film definitely makes you feel like you are living in this pilgrimage time, the scene are shot beautifully, and the costume designs are spot on. You get a sense of feeling what this family feels and goes through the entire time you watch this film. It's not a typical horror film, where left and right you get a jump scare, or gross out situations. There is definitely a few gross out situations, but nothing too crazy. This relies on cerebral horror, thought provoking, feelings horror. It makes you think what is the actual conclusion that is going to happen. You understand that after about 30 minutes in that this is going to lead up to a conclusion that you probably didn't expect or want to. But, it's that way, it's not predictable like most, it has its own way of terrifying you. Black magic, witchcraft, paganism, and then it tears you apart from the inside out. So bravo on that aspect of film.

Most aren't going to like this film because it's too much to handle in the sense they're trying to figure out what's going on, and that's ok, you just stick to your jump scare horror films. The star here I think lies on the shoulders of the oldest sister, played by 20 year old Anya Taylor-Joy. You feel her emotions with her and she expresses it well. In a film that's dark and dreary, she is equally so. She's a complex character that knows no bounds, and the final product is not what you'd think once the screen goes black. Great work Ms. Joy, I'm sure we will see you more in the future. That's not to take away from the other actors and actresses, they all do well without a doubt. So the acting isn't the issue here.

The issue may lie in the plot, it's slow. I understand why it is, and I get it. There could've been some things I would've done different, but it's not my film, so get over it JD. I just know most will say it was boring or lazy, or unfulfilling. It was, and it wasn't. But, overall, I truly did like it more than most horror films. It is something fresh, something new, and it worked all around for the most part. I do wish they would've explained the ending better, there is some unanswered questions I have. But, overall, it was decent, and is worth a watch. 3/5 JD.