The Witch Review (2015)

The Witch is a beautifully helmed ghastly take on black magic straight from folklore!

Whilst witchcraft is a topic still quilted under dubious clouds, the story Robert Eggers weaves is no less than the work of a genius. There is excruciating dread imbibed in his way of storytelling that makes it one of a kind. Eggers maintains a regular pace throughout the flick to milk our fears without going into the shoddy territory. We feast on some high quality filmmaking.

THE WITCH LORE

The topic of witches has rarely ever touched such a tangible and lucid style of direction. You haven’t experienced a disquiet quite like this before, and gore that throws you into fits of anxiety! Acts of witchcraft create a metaphor which is quite clamorous if you really pay heed. You cannot help but feel helpless, cannot stop feeling sorry for the characters entailed, by silently wishing them goodwill. But alas! this is one of the darkest movies ever made. So, if you have a feeble heart just be prepared mentally and you can bear the imminent.

NOT AN AVERAGE MAINSTREAM HORROR

The Witch isn’t exactly your average horror flick that tries to scare you with disappearing-appearing acts, or by messing around with the cameras, or via zooming in or zooming out effects. Au contraire, it is one of those purest forms of horror that is allowed to gradually develop in you, as you scale its frames right from the very beginning. Very engaging stuff that will leave you traumatized with abominable witch acts!

STUNNING DIRECTION

You cannot help but marvel at the way Eggers captures his gorgeous frames. The serenity of the woods that he arrests in his frames icing it with a harrowing music in the background is beyond comparison. Captivating landscapes and natural shots that he takes make the movie a visual entertainer. You can almost read the tranquility of the woods through his endearing screens.

THE WITCH VERDICT

The casting has been done brilliantly. Screenplay is smitten with Shakespearean English which some might find hard to understand. Music is very grim but just about perfect for a horror movie. The Witch is a well manufactured affair that Robert Eggers manages to conjoin with his rad direction and writing style.

The Witch

7.9

Direction

8.5/10

Plot

7.3/10

Horror

8.0/10

Editing

7.9/10

Music

8.0/10

Pros

• Magnificent direction
• Horror develops gradually
• Visually very powerful
• Very dark stuff
• Brilliantly put together stuff

Cons

• Plot's not headed towards a happy ending
• Some gore stuff could be unsettling to watch