The Witch

   2 1/2 Nuts

The Witch serves as a haunting parable whose application spans two distinct time periods.  On the one hand it is a cautionary tale for early colonial America that witches are undoubtedly real, so please be advised.  Simultaneously, The Witch is a tale intended for the current generation, regarding human nature and the divisive powers of religion. Regardless of its audience, The Witch is as chilling as it is thought provoking.

The film manages to keep a steady sense of dread throughout without relying on Hollywood's typical cadence of scare tactics.  What happens off camera may in fact be more terrifying than what is viewed on screen.  Far from conventional horror films, this smaller more "indie-film", certainly does not have the "wide" audience in mind (despite being a wide release).  Many going into the film expecting big scares and a simple plot will be disappointed.  That is not to say the film does not have shocking moments; it most certainly does.

The Witch centers around one family, cast out from a plantation they were a part of, over religious differences with the other settlers. They are sent off to fend for themselves.  The husband is not a good farmer, nor a hunter both vital for survival.  It is apparent the transition borders on untenability, however, the family's trust in god keeps them going. They do not waiver from their faith even when things seem most dire.  Enter the witch, who begins to make the situation much worse by stealing and occasionally possessing the children of the family.

Folklore tales at the time helped solidify public paranoia as to the validity of witches, showing how even the most pious of families can fall to the temptations of the devil.  I do not doubt these folktales are the very same that inspired the witch trials and the murder of innocent girls. Girls stuck in the most unjust of times.

The film effectively shows how religion was everything to these early pioneers. The witch is both a literal being in the film while also serving as a manifestation of the settlers' fears and doubts of making it in America.  She represents greed, lust, temptation, all things forbidden and repressed. They have such a devotion to God that blaming him for such intense hardship wasn't possible.  (God could only be testing them so much) The witch could be that outlet.  A physical being to explain why things were so unrelentingly tough.

An aside: Quality horror films today are scarce. It's a shame. When done right, the horror genre has the ability to explore the dark depths of the human psyche while effectively engaging the audience with an original story. It makes us question what is real and creates a sense of unease to thrust you out of the mundane. This was brilliantly showcased in the past few years with two of my favorite horror films in recent memory, It follows and The Babadook. If you haven't seen those, I suggest you do.

In a Nut shell:  The Witch is a beautifully shot film and the actors do an exceptional job portraying colonial settlers.  With a 1 hour 30 minute runtime The Witch can feel slow.  For a genre that I revere (indie-horror) this film couldn't create that bone chilling feel I was craving. However, it is certainly better than most of the garbage horror films put out today. (2.5 out of 4)

Follow me on Twitter @the_movienut