The Witch (2015) Review

The Witch (2015) Review

The Witch takes place in 17^th century New England, and begins with a family being exiled from their town due to religious differences, so the father takes his wife and five children out into the woods to build a homestead and start a new life. The oldest child, Thomasin, plays peekaboo with her youngest sibling, who is just a baby, and when she uncovers her eyes…the baby is gone. The father is sure an animal took the baby, but soon they suspect something supernatural is going on, and Thomasin may be to blame. Or is she? From here, scary things begin to happen, and the family starts to crumble.

I think The Witch was not the kind of film many people were anticipating it to be. This is primarily a period piece (as the subtitle implies, “A New England Folktale”), and functions as a drama for the most part, but becomes more horrific as it progresses. I love how writer/director Robert Eggers (in his directorial debut) keeps you guessing as to whether or not there really is something supernatural going on, or if it’s one big conspiracy, or if they’re all going crazy. There’s one shot fairly early in the film that seems to solve the mystery too soon, and may diffuse the rest of the story of any real horror for some viewers, but for me, it was one of the most-disturbing scenes of all, and I was still wondering what was really going on, right up to the extremely disturbing end.   

This is definitely one of the scariest movies I’ve seen in recent years. It’s not about shocking, jump-in-your-seat scares, it’s the kind of scary that’s all about atmosphere and creating discomfort. It’s visually haunting, with excellent cinematography and a distinct setting. It always seems to be overcast or on the verge of darkness, which makes the woods seem even creepier. 

The acting is incredible, especially from the child actors. Anya Taylor-Joy is great as Thomasin, and her character is easy to sympathize with, as is Harvey Scrimshaw as her younger brother Caleb. There’s a scene with him that had me absolutely riveted—how a kid that young can be so convincing I have no idea. The dialogue is all accurate to the era, as are the costumes and props, but the father’s dialogue is a bit difficult to understand sometimes, due to his heavy accent and deep voice. 

The parts that freaked me out most weren’t even to do with a witch, really, but the kids themselves. It’s like The Exorcist in the way the story unfolds, and shows how terrifying it can be for parents when there’s something inexplicably wrong with their children, and they can’t seem to fix it. It’s seriously scary stuff.  

The Witch is a confident and potent horror film. It starts out at a slow pace and the ending may not be fully satisfying for some, but it builds incredible tension, and delivers imagery that will stick with you long after watching.