The Witch – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Storyline

Life in the New Land isn’t easy. There are no apples, no real means of exhibiting privilege or wealth, and things are a constant struggle. It isn’t the type of life Katherine wants, but her husband, William, tries to make the best of it. However, as bad things happen to their children, with Thomasin usually involved, they begin to question if perhaps she is the source of their troubles.

Trigger Warning(s):

Blood, Dead Animals, and Occultism

Noted Actor(s)

William (Ralph Ineson) | Katherine (Kate Dickie) | Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) | Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw)

Criticism

The Madness of Katherine

The, and excuse me for using what essentially is a sexist term, hysterical performance of Dickie kind of ruins “The Witch.” Like her character in Game of Thrones, her performance has a certain level of madness. However, while it seems the directors knew how to reign that in and utilize it within the show, for this movie, it seems her experience was trusted, and she was allowed to run amok. Not to the point she seems campy, but honestly, recognizing what she is going through, I feel that she was one of the many reasons I can’t understand the hype.

It Takes Itself Too Seriously & Gives You Little Reason To Do The Same

Recognizing the history of the Puritans and that without William’s family being part of a town, it limits their resources and access to basic things, I found it hard to connect with the characters. While Caleb, Katherine, and William’s son are likable, and of course, Taylor-Joy is as well, heck, she is the reason I’m watching this movie; they don’t have characters crafted in such a way to care.

Perhaps the movie’s reliance on religion is also a problem. The constant talk of having the devil in you, praying for salvation, and noting how we all are plagued by sin honestly diluted the film’s serious tone, for it makes you want to roll your eyes. For while they speak of all this, they have a goat that looks like the symbol of the devil playing with their kids, and the kids say it talks to them.

On top of that, the way the witches are presented doesn’t inspire shock, awe, or even interest. No background stories are told to build up the mystique of these witches. What happens is they appear, do something which can be considered screwed up, and don’t say a word. Perhaps the sole scary thing about them is that one of them reminds you of Melisandre’s true form on Game of Thrones.

On The Fence

It Is Certainly Strange

From the potential of incest, possible depictions of demon possession, and then the madness of Katherine, it is hard to deny that the film doesn’t lead you to raise an eyebrow. In fact, at some moments, those close enough to hear it but aren’t watching it with you may question what in the hell you are watching. Though, at times, you wonder the same thing.

Overall

Negative (Skip It)

The horror genre remains stale, and this film is certainly no exception. While it may try to boost itself by having quality actors, unfortunately, their characters are dull, and the would-be villain is more so in their heads than something that can creep into ours. Leaving you with just a few unsightly depictions of the human body once it has aged and a few bloody moments as the sole source of what may keep you from falling asleep during this movie. That and Kate Dickie perfecting her ability to play people who have lost their wits.