Hollywood it ain't.

Rating: 9/10 (1 August 1999)

I like the film a lot. Both for what it is, and what it isn't.
As a film it succeeds in every phase: plot, script, concept, and execution -- it is, in short, brilliant. I rated it a 9 on the voting.
But if you're not careful and open-minded, you might not pick up on just how great this effort is.
The film has none of the Hollywood action cues, setups, or prompts that we're condidioned to respond to. The lazy viewer, thus unprompted, will miss out on the import of the action. There is no music to cue dramatic scenes. No sound effects to enforce the action. No sight or sound of the witch.
In keeping with the premise of the movie, the opening screens are unadorned and silent. The credits at the end are likewise.
The movie is so radically different from the usual Hollywood format/crap that I was distracted from enjoying the movie as much as I might have.