Summary

Eggers' debut film. Follows puritan family in 1600s New England who are haunted by the presence of a witch.

Review

I really love Robert Eggers. I think, of the newer generation of directors, he's probably become my favorite. I've seen some people say that his movies are more "out there". Not necessarily saying it in a bad way, but as though they are notably more weird than the typical movie. Maybe I'm just Lynch-pilled and no longer in contact with the common man. But for me, I would say that his movies are actually very classical. (Which I suppose modern man may perhaps find to be weird)

In his works, I see clear influences from Kubrick and Hitchcock in terms of the atmosphere-setting, the music, the general cinematography. Compare the droning of the lighthouse in The Lighthouse (2019) to the weirdo synthy music in Shining as they're used to create an oppressive and almost alien atmosphere. Or the use of tracking shots to get you into the action.

But let's talk about the Witch specifically. I rewatched it recently on a whim, this being my third or fourth viewing. Not like full-and- complete-attention viewings or anything, but still. In the movie, we follow a Puritan family who was too Puritan for the other Puritans and so was kicked outta the group and told to make it on their own. But soon they fall ill of the horrors of a nearby witch in the forest.

One of the primary themes the movie expresses is isolation. The family is unsafe, they are isolated from society. We're given a number of quiet wide shots of the dark dark forest to reinforce this. We know danger lies within, but it's hidden from view. You never know when it will strike or quite what form it will take. And the knowledge that no help will be coming given the family's review location only increases the danger. But we're also dealing with social isolation. Nearly every single member of the family quarrels, keeps secrets, or actively harms the others. At nearly every opportunity, their beliefs are what separate them from each other. More than the actual influence of the witch/devil.

Thomasin is obviously the center of the movie's attention. ()