Review: The VVitch

I’ve been a fan of the horror genre for years, and I’ve been working my way through classics slowly but surely as often as I could get access to them. And of course, one thing you’ll always hear from most horror fans is that “they just don’t make them like they used to.” And that statement has some merit to it; horror films have dipped in authenticity, and everything feels like a sequel or a remake. Of course, there’s plenty of great original horror films out there, and sometimes you have to wait for them to get to you. And boy, am I glad I waited for The VVitch.

This film, written and directed by Robert Eggers, premiered first at Sundance before making it’s way to screens across the country (and the globe). This film walks a line between suspenseful ambiguity and complete supernatural fright. Eggers follows a religious family during the 1630’s (the era when witch trials were ravaging the commonwealth) who are exiled by their town to live on their own. The family of 7 sets out to survive on their own terms, with the father, William, toting his loved ones along into his self-righteous crusade. Then, after making a life for themselves, the family begins to be plagued by the ongoing torture of a potential witch. The confusion and speculation about the witch’s existence plagues them, and they begin to turn on each other slowly.

Not only does Eggers play up the isolated, untrustworthy mindset that the viewer feels, but his craft and his direction make this film feel like it’s something you’re not supposed to be witnessing. The camerawork was beautiful. The action and effects were almost all practical. The story was incredibly well paced and able to let you breathe and process what had happened while still keeping you riveted in your seat. The thing that jumped out to me most was the editing; it was so tight and clean that you never felt like one shot lasted too long, or you missed anything. The interweaving of the visuals with the blood-curdling score made this film uncomfortable to watch, even when nothing truly evil was happening. It was riddled with symbolism and thematic material, a lot of it relating to the Christian faith due to the time and the characters. I identified the family of seven as each representing one or more of the 7 deadly sins, each falling prone to their own vice as the witch revealed it to them.

I’m most definitely adding this film to my shelf once I can, and most definitely following the work of this director from here on out in hopes of seeing more stories that I’ll never forget.