Decent but flawed witchcraft story

Rating: 6/10 (26 May 2016)

'The Witch' isn't your conventional horror film. It isn't particularly scary or gory, but it is eerie and atmospheric. The film certainly has some positives - it is very well made and it does build up tension nicely, especially towards the end. It is, however, ultimately let down by some major flaws.
The first being some of the acting. Generally speaking, it's okay, but some of the younger ones are guilty of overacting in a few scenes. UK viewers may also struggle to engage with Ralph Ineson's character, given his distinctive voice which is heard in many British TV adverts. All I could think of when he spoke was Dacia cars. 'The Witch' is also very, very slow to get going. The first half of the film is on the verge of becoming boring - there's very little tension and scares are few and far between, but it does pick up.
Overall, I thought 'The Witch' was decent, but it could have been a lot better. It is unique in its approach, placing a greater emphasis on the dialogue and content rather than simply the gore and scares like a lot of other horror movies. A solid but flawed horror.