A cut above a lot of other modern horror.

Rating: 8/10 (4 June 2016)

A God fearing family manages to end up banished from their village in 17th Century New England. They decide to set up cabin and ranch at the edge of a truly spooky forest. Their troubles are only beginning when their adorable newborn son Samuel disappears without a trace. And a lot of the blame is laid at the feet of the teen aged daughter, Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy).
We never ever see very much of the title character in this effort by writer & director Robert Eggers. He chooses to parcel out his true horror rather carefully, instead focusing on creating a mood and atmosphere that is absolutely stifling. His film is somber, serious, and even depressing. It's definitely not for all tastes. It sets a tone in a sequence approximately eight minutes in, involving Samuel. This will cause "The Witch" to lose some viewers, for sure, but all I can say in Eggers' defense is that he spares us the goriest details.
Eggers was inspired by a variety of folklore, fairy tales (I can certainly see a "Hansel & Gretel" influence), and records of settlers during this time in North American history. His *very* literate dialogue is often taken from these records. The dialogue and its delivery is therefore highly antiquated, so that's one other thing that some viewers might not care for. But it's refreshing that Eggers takes such a careful, measured approach to telling a tale that could be referred to as "slow burn" horror. The look for this picture is perfect; its drab visuals are very suitable to the story being told. But don't worry; there is some gore here and there.
The performances are incredibly sincere and intense. Taylor-Joy has tremendous appeal in the lead role. Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie are superb as the parents. Harvey Scrimshaw delivers a mature performance as the son Caleb. Bathsheba Garnett has such a creepy presence in her seconds of screen time as the true form of the Witch. And the goat Black Phillip manages to be quite the character too, especially towards the end.
Overall, an interesting fable open to some interpretation, with many themes and questions of faith throughout.
Eight out of 10.