The Witch: Movie Review

Writer/director Robert Eggers. “The Witch” is beautifully shot, with great performances and a unique take on witchcraft. However, it feels more like a 16th century period drama than an actual horror film. With its’ marketing campaign targeting horror fans, it might wind up disappointing a large percentage of people who go to see it.

Set in 1630 New England, an English family has been banished from their village by the church. William (Ralph Ineson), his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie) and their five children have relocated to a piece of land at the edge of the forest. William and Katherine rely on their oldest child Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) to watch over her siblings and help around the farm. However, with the crops failing to grow, they must venture into the dark forest and seek out food. Little do they know that there is something evil residing within the trees.

Early in “The Witch”, the baby sibling is snatched during a game of peek-a-boo, with Thomasin. Although William believes an animal took the baby, it was in fact a witch. From that point on, strange things begin to happen around the farm. Animals are turning malevolent, and Thomasin’s other siblings become possessed by evil. To make matters worse, Thomasin’s family begin to accuse her of practicing witchcraft.

“The Witch” is definitely well made and has some shocking imagery, including a woman having her breasts picked at by a crow, while laughing. I seriously can’t get that image out of my head. However, the slow pacing and lack of scares is a major issue when creating a horror film. Anya Taylor-Joy does a great job in the lead and I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of her in the future. Although “The Witch” may not please the masses, there is enough here to recommend checking out.

By: Marc Ferman