I went to see The Witch last week and I have a few thoughts about the film I'd like to share. A quick Google tells me I'm not alone in these opinions so if you've already read a few reviews of this film I might not be saying anything to you that you haven't already heard. However, if you're new to this film then read on for my take on it (I'm going to keep it spoiler free).
The Witch is set in 17th Century New England, the story follows a Puritan Christian family who are exiled from their plantation and go to live out on their own, setting up a farm by a large forest. Very quickly events take a turn for the worst and while the eldest of four- a girl named Thomasin, is looking after the youngest- baby Samuel, he goes missing. We are shown a female figure carrying the baby off into the wood and then sacrificing the baby for its blood, to make an ointment out of it. Several times throughout the film we're shown this witch-like figure, but for me the Witch itself isn't what makes the film interesting. The Witch is most definitely creepy and unnerving but it's the other characters in the film that make it what it is.
I'd say if you're going into this film expecting a horror film, I don't feel like that's quite what you get here. There are elements to it that allow for it to fit into that category but for me it leans more towards something like a Psychological Thriller, I'm not sure exactly how to categorize it. I'm not saying to write it off all together as not being a horror film, I just didn't feel like I went away feeling like I wouldn't be able to sleep that night but that's not to say I didn't think it was great regardless.
I've heard Mark Kermode use the phrase 'cattle prod horror' when talking about the vast majority of modern day horror, which is the idea of being forced into jump scares whilst watching horror cinema because of a loud noise or something jumping up on screen. I don't believe there is anything wrong with using this method but I do often find that many modern horror films rely solely on this trick to get a scare out of its audience, which seems like a bit of a cop out to me. The best kind of horror films get under your skin and keep you feeling tense for the duration. The Witch does none of the jumpy scares, however, the score and the films gloomy visuals do create an atmosphere of despair and dread. Unfortunately the trailer could imply that it will be a little more like it's cattle prod jumps counterparts and I feel as though many people seeing this film may leave feeling a little cheated.
Now that I've covered how and why it might not be considered a horror film (sorry if that was a little it of a ramble) I can talk about what I really enjoyed about the film and at it's core what I believe it's about, which in my opinion is not really Witches.
To me this is a film less about the witch and more about a family of Christian Puritans settling in 17th Century England, in a land unfamiliar to them and the unsettling feeling they feel in parts due to their new surroundings and the paranoia the faith at the time perpetuated. The family grow increasingly suspicious of one another and turn against each other with their growing distrust after Samuel is taken, making them vulnerable to the evil presence that is wreaking havoc on their secluded settlement. At the centre of the film is Thomasin played by newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy who makes an incredibly impressive début and who according to IMDb, now appears to be starring in a few different films to be released in the next couple of years. This is also Robert Eggers, the films director's first feature length film having previously touched on themes of folklore with his 2007 animated short of Hansel and Gretel which I'm definitely interested in tracking down to check out.
All in all if you're looking for a moody slow burner 'horror' (again, up for debate), that feels a little more The Crucible than Blair Witch, then this might be for you.
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