Going back with the recommended movies based on what I have seen recently, The Witch (2015) makes it to my list and I'm not disappointed at all, finally getting around to it I can say that this movie really got under my skin in the best way, I love a good horror movie specially when there are mind games involve and oh boy did this movie deliver, Robert Eggers directorial debut is a slow burning horror masterpiece that proves you don’t need jump scares to create true fear, it’s all about atmosphere and psychological tension, the movie takes place in 1630s New England and develops a Puritan family exiled from their colony, which sets up an incredibly lonely tone from the get go, constant darkness like the sun got turn off and the deep forest feels like its going to swallow you in, on top there is who I consider the star of the show Black Phillip, the family goat.
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Made on a budget of just $3 million, the movie went on to gross $40 million at the box office back in the day, talk about how good and scary must be to watch it on theater, proving how word of mouth and critical acclaim can carry a small independent movie on its shoulders, even Stephen King himself praised the film for being able to scare the shit out of you and coming from the master of horror, that is high praise for sure, I believe success is in its ability to mix historical drama with supernatural horror in a way that feels totally natural, plus the psychological trauma created to the characters seen how they go scare to death scene after scene with almost no where to go.
In the first ten minutes of the movie, it shows no holds barred, as its not shy at all to go from supernatural element to killing an infant, showing its cards early on the movie after confirm indeed there is witch in the woods and this makes the family nose dive into fear that gets worst scene after scene to the point that the family starts falling apart.
I have not doubt to mention that the performances from the cast of the movie are as close to perfect, Anya Taylor Joy has an incredible performance playing the role of Thomasin, a girl who has to deal with a complex mix of innocence and strength as she is constantly suspected by her family as a beacon of disaster, a young woman finding herself in the middle of a sadly restrictive religious world where supernatural horror will almost provide the way out is delicate and powerful and Ralph Ineson brings the in charge presence to William, making look like this Father who basically attempts to succumb to his pride instead of putting everything into his faith.
Harvey Scrimshaw as Caleb, who is Thomasin's also had an spectacular performance as he had to go through some hard core scenes as when he gets possessed by some demon after he meets the witch in the woods, if we think about it most of the things that happen during the movie are because of this two. The twin actors who play Mercy and Jonas some how manage to look innocent but creepy at the same time, is like how you can make a smile look creepy same goes with their facial expression of innocence at times but its all provoke by the ambient and lighting, and I can’t forget to recognize Black Phillip as I mention the star of the show, I cant tell if this was performance but turn out the be the master puppeteer of the movie, it certainly had to be induce to do some of the things like jumping while playing with the twins and then stay at certain distance that I was sure it was going to fuck them up so bad as they keep chasing him and just saying ba ba ba ba to it.
The Witch for me was impressive in how it used its horror elements to explore themes of faith, family, and female empowerment, not saying that I can tell there is an agenda behind this movie or any type of specific message, the way that religious devotion can become dangerous when mixed with fear and isolation feels spectacular and the movie doesn't just show us a witch in the woods, it looks at how a community's fear of witchcraft and sin can be just as destructive as any supernatural evil.
The Witch ends in a very dark and very unexpected way that neatly wraps up everything that has been building with the religious and supernatural elements. Thomasin loses her entire family in horrific ways, almost like its a chapter in Final Destination, at last facing the one an only Black Phillip, the family goats who he turns out to be Satan incarnate but out of no where in a scene that pulls together all the movie's themes like faith and religion, Black Phillip offers Thomasin a choice, "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?", to put it in perspective or modern terms would be life free without limits, freedom from puritan restrictions and religious rules falling into lust and desire and escape from the hardship situation she was living in. At the end Thomasin gives in as she slowly walks into the woods, naked, to join a group of witches who were having a ritual around a bonfire. Its almost like she gave in and felt they never had a chance, one after another of the main figures like her parents William and Katherine even with their strict religion believes fall so Thomasin only escape was to give in to the darkness.
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