More drama than horror but still worth a watch.

Rating: 7/10 (16 April 2016)

I've been looking forward to seeing this movie as I'm a huge horror fan but after watching it I'm a little bit disappointed by the lack of actual scares in the film. In all other aspects it's really well crafted; the cinematography is stunning, the acting is great and the authenticity of the time period is impressive. I liked the storyline but I found the execution a little bit confusing. The witch is shown at the start of the film dispelling any mystery and what follows is mostly a psychological drama following the family of the story as they question the bizarre occurrences that are unfolding due to the witch's magic. The dialogue is in old English but still easy to follow, the actors do a wonderful job of delivering the lines and getting into character. I thought the direction was good but I did wish it was actually scary rather than, in my opinion, mostly just being creepy and atmospheric. I wanted something more terrifying or bizarre but in the end it was, bar a couple of occasions, quite restrained even when depicting mystical goings-on. I thought the imagery could have been heightened but it's all very realistic which struck me as an odd choice, I just felt that it could have had a little bit more to it. I would definitely recommend checking this out as it has some good moments and a very rich moody atmosphere but don't expect to be blown away or particularly scared.