Not scary, but worth seeing anyway

Rating: 8/10 (31 March 2016)

Horror is inherently a very subjective genre. It is about as subjective as comedy, perhaps even more so. Both comedy and horror are ruled by emotions that vary widely from person to person. For example, most critics hate Adam Sandler comedies (with a few exceptions) but audiences still receive them. Why? Because they find it funny. The same can be said for horror. Paranormal Activity has gone stale for most people, but there are still a lot of people that watch it. Why? Because they think it's scary. There are going to be people that like the new Ghostbusters movie, and people that are going to like the new 'The Ring' reboot that is coming out this year (seriously).
The Witch, like 'It Follows' and 'The Babadook' before it, follows a trend of critically acclaimed, slow paced psychological horror movies that perhaps unintentionally market themselves as epic monster pieces that are full of scares. The Witch isn't full of scares. The concepts behind it are scary, but you won't jump in your seat. I didn't at least. The Witch is a mellow piece that builds tension over time. The cinematography is beautiful, the writing is moody and matches the time period, the music is amazing (probably my favourite part) and the young leading actress Anya Taylor-Joy was incredible in her role as Thomasin.
I liked it a lot, but it didn't scare me. I won't be having nightmares because of this film, and that is slightly disappointing. If you're able to appreciate this film for its story, watch it, but if you're looking for a movie to scare you out of your skin, this isn't it, unless you're afraid of Christian fundamentalism and/or naked old women.