The Witch
A New England family in the 1630’s is cast out of their colony and forced to homestead on the edge of a deep wooded area just before winter. Tormented by what appears to be the forces of witchcraft and black magic, Father William (Ralph Ineson), and mother Katherine (Kate Dickie) are tested in their faith while their children Caleb, Mercy, Jonas, and teenaged Thomasin (Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson, Anya Taylor-Joy) dance ever closer to the fire, finding the seduction and guiding hand of Satan.
Written and Directed by Robert Eggers, this slow burn period piece of dark folklore accurately manages to capture much of the imagery that’s depicted in the tales of witchcraft from early American history. A vision that may come as less thrilling to modern audiences with preconceived notions as to where witches come from; but, is more akin to discovering the horror in the writing of authors such as Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft, to that end Eggers has pure success. Stark and haunting as it should be, the imagery contained within The Witch will not leave you quietly but rather prey upon you at night as you lay in bed pondering the silence outside your own bedroom window. Fans of horror, this is victory. The Witch is rated R.