Review: ‘The Witch’ is a creepy and disturbing tale featuring witchcraft and paranoia

Posted on February 26, 2016

By MARK VIOLA

In the 9 1/2 years I’ve been writing reviews, I can count on one hand the number of horror films I’ve seen and I probably wouldn’t need all of my fingers. Horror films are just not my thing. I’m not a big fan of being scared, and most modern-day horror films are more interested in jump scares and gore than telling an intelligently creepy story. (And yes, I know I just painted an entire film genre with a broad stroke with very little personal experience to back it up. At least I’m admitting it, I guess.)

But I do have to say the new film “The Witch,” has interested me a great deal, first when it won Best Director at last year’s Sundance Film Festival and then again when the very creepy trailer was released shortly thereafter.

Having now seen “The Witch,” I can say this is a really well made movie, with very solid direction and cinematography. The acting, including from the two main younger actors, is excellent, although the mixture of their accents and old-fashioned dialogue makes some early scenes hard to understand.

The first thing I need to say is “The Witch” really isn’t a very scary movie, at least in the terms of making you jump in your seat. It is, however, incredibly creepy and within the first moments sets an oppressive mood which becomes increasingly claustrophobic and paranoia filled as the story continues.
When I first left the theater, my original thought was that it would be the final 10 minutes which would be the “make it or break it” moment for many people seeing this film. Any movie like this must, before the end, reveal the monster hiding in the dark or the answer to the mystery. That reveal has destroyed many a movie. Here, I think it worked, although I had to give it several minutes to sink in. It was obvious, however, that my response to the ending was not unanimous in the showing I watched.

As I allowed the movie to marinate between watching and writing this review, however, I think it is a bit more than that. Your acceptance of the ending is indeed important, but I think it has more to do with modern horror films, which have accustomed fans of the genre to expect jump scares and supernatural forces chasing our heroes through the woods or a dark house.

“The Witch” does not deliver such things, because its story doesn’t require them to be creepy and compelling. And because of that, I think a large number of movie-goers are finding its slower pace and more introspective conflicts slow and perhaps even boring.

And maybe that’s why, as someone who is not a fan of modern day horror films, I really enjoyed “The Witch” quite a bit.

The film is rated R for disturbing violent content and graphic nudity.

(This is a abbreviated version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

Subscribe to our e-Edition and read the rest of the story. Already a subscriber? Click here to sign in.