Originally written 3/3/16
The Witch is not perfect, but it's the best American
horror film in years. It takes all the best elements of horror films and molds
it into a taut psychological thriller. It's cabin in the woods horror, man
versus the wilderness horror, and supernatural horror all rolled into one. The
gimmick of the period setting works excellently, and helps keep all the
recycled elements feeling fresh.
The setup is great; an early 1600's pilgrim family
is cast out from their colonial settlement because of a dispute over religious
beliefs. The family must fend for themselves against the great wilderness of
New England, leading to immediate tensions in the family. Matters are made
worse when their youngest, an infant, disappears. Suspense rises as the family
is beset after continual misfortunes. The genius of the film is that every
misfortune that befalls the family could easily be chalked up to the perils of
living in the woods in 1600's New England. But the family is intensely
superstitious and believes there is some greater evil at work. With nothing to
rely on but religious faith, the family members all begin to go crazy believing
that the devil is at work to destroy them.
The best part of The Witch is also the story's major
problem. The movie spends nearly the entire runtime keeping the viewer in
suspense: Is there really a witch, or is it just the typical hardships pilgrims
had to face? The few scenes of witch activity we do see are shot with a dreamy
atmosphere that, if it were not for the ending, would leave the actual
existence of the witch up for debate. The Witch decides to go with the answer
that yes in fact witches and the devil are real. After the film's excellent
suspense via ambiguity, going with a concrete answer is a disappointment. I
would have preferred if they kept the existence of the witch mysterious to the
end. A coven of naked witches having a hippie drum circle party is not nearly
as frightening as the ambiguity of the preceding moments of the film.
Even if the ending is not what I was hoping for,
there are still things to enjoy about the film. The atmosphere is incredible.
The movie is largely shot with natural light, and there are many candlelit
shots that have a spooky chiaroscuro effect. Everything feels period authentic
without crossing into costume drama artifice. It is a grungy, earthy film that
realistically recreates early colonial life. The music is sparse and chilling
with a folksy, witchy sound. The child actors are incredible as well. They are
some of the best child performances I have ever seen, and in 17th century
vernacular no less. It is a movie thoroughly dedicated to its eerie old
fairytale ambiance, and I admire that.
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