Ness Hutchins

Communications and New Media

The Witch, written and directed by Robert Eggers, is the story of a family of 17th century Puritans that have been cast out of their village, and their subsequent decent into madness.

After the family leaves the village they begin life anew in unsettled territory on the outskirts of the woods. The children are warned never to enter, but once the newborn is stolen from their field and the crops begin to wither the family has no choice. Eggers showcases the family dynamics of early Christian life in America. We learn the stations, and watch as the family tries their hardest to prosper in the name of God. The slow build of this character study makes the climax all the more terrifying.

The characters Eggers has created feel authentic to the time period as well. Puritanical journals were used as the source material for the script. The old english dialogue is jarring and very formal, fitting of the storyline and atmosphere. Characters are further brought to life by the actors themselves. William (Ralph Ineson) is the disgruntled but also tender patriarch of the family. His wife, Katherine (Kate Dickie), realistically plays the part of grief stricken turned hostile mother once she starts to suspect her own family members of foul play. Young Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) is the right hand of his father, and aching to become a man. The Twins Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson) are wicked and idle young children who worship  their friend, Black Phillip, the family goat. Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) is the daughter who is not still a girl, not yet a woman, whom is the focus of the story for her alleged ties to witchcraft. Since The Witch is a character study, the casting is very important. True to period, the childr actors are young, and maybe all the more impressive because of it. Their relationships to each other, and the proficiency of the old english language is very believable. Their actions perpetuate the story forward, and compliment the desolate scenery where their tragedies unfold.

Earthy browns, rich greens, and dull grays of the landscape further enhance the eery atmosphere. There are long black cuts between takes making The Witch feel like a play with multiple acts, and disorients the viewer who never knows if the fade to black is the signal of the end of the film. Mark Korven’s score is also unusually dreadful, even for a horror film. He utilizes unusual instruments such as the waterphone, and the Swedish nyckelharpa, a medieval keyed violin, to create a sense of terror and unease throughout the film. Linda Muir’s period accurate costumes further compliment the atmosphere. The surprisingly colorful shades of boiled wool and crisp cotton complement the wildness of the forest and the wildness into which the family deteriorates. Eggers carefully constructed each piece of the film with meticulous care, rendering The Witch an artistic masterpiece.  

Although feminism did not exist in 1630, Thomasin’s story arch of young woman struggling as the scapegoat for sin in a patriarchal society feels like a pre-cursor to the political movement. Women were accused of witchcraft in this time period often because they didn’t succumb to societal norms. They were spinsters, harlots, and healers; women of agency that threatened the “male superiority” dictated by God. William and Caleb lie, Katherine and the twins are idle in their work while Thomasin is devout and hardworking, and she is still accused of signing the black book of the devil by her entire family. Her word means less than that her other young siblings. Only at the climax of the film is she able to find agency in the demise of her family.

The Witch is a thought provoking tale of family tragedy with literary merit and beautiful cinematography. The mythology of witches is as old as civilization itself, but Eggers bring a fresh view to their rich history in this debut film. The Witch is destined to be a cult classic among horror fans and historical aficionados alike.

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