Dan Abel’s review published on Letterboxd:
Settlers in colonial New England, William, his wife, and their five kids are Puritans who are banished from their community some time in the 1600s. They take refuge at the outskirts of town on a small farm. Misfortune follows them as their crops rot and their youngest son, a newborn baby, is abducted. Some say there's a witch in the woods beyond the farm and the family have found themselves targets of her wrath.
The Witch serves as the feature length directorial debut of Robert Eggers, the man who would later go on to direct the critically acclaimed arthouse film The Lighthouse. The attention to detail from the sets to the speech and the costumes is downright amazing. Excellent use of music is a trademark of many A24 productions, especially those helmed by Robert Eggers and that same trend applies here in a big way. At times it sounds like the screech of a rusty violin helping to convey the bleak plight being faced by a tormented family. The acting from every cast member is top notch too, especially in regard to Anya Taylor-Joy who played Thomasin. What a name.
The Witch doesn't beat you over the head with jump scares. It's not that kind of horror film. While there are a few genuinely creepy scenes, the focus here is on the psychological. The speech is exactly what you'd expect from speech of the time and the pacing can drag a bit in some spots but it delivers with a tremendous slow burning plot and a what the fuck!? ending. This is the best way to deliver a slow burn. It's these traits that resemble another excellent A24 horror film, Hereditary. That's BIG praise.
When I first saw The Witch it wasn't long after it's release and I didn't think much of it. Now I love it, and that's a testament to how much my taste in film has developed over the years. The Witch may not be for everyone, but I highly recommend it to fans of plot rich psychological horror. What a film.
