Puritans Gone Wild

Rating: 7/10 (18 May 2016)

Beautiful cinematography and solid actors in a convincing period setting that ultimately largely fails to deliver on the goods, being neither a true psychological nor graphic horror film. Rather, I would characterize it as a Gothic Horror and if that's your bag, you'll enjoy it. The premise seems promising but the story is built around a few scattered supposedly eerie scenes that compose a rather fragmented attempt at a haunting tale involving a family that somehow gets mixed up with Satan AND a witch that resides in a Hansel & Gretel like hovel. As usual in Hollywood, the witch in the woods ( title character? ) is pretty hot with ample cleavage draped in a crimson velvet cape drawing stark contrast to the dour emaciated matriarch of the family who kills most of her day sobbing . " Hey there Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are looking good " ... at any rate, the devil, sporting a buccaneer outfit, sends the lead character of teen-aged Thomasina ( title character ? ), upon signing a devilish compact, into the forest to cavort with other nude nubile wenches in some sort of initiation into witch world where our story ends ... or does it, see Witch II for further adventures. This is a visually compelling presentation heavy with atmosphere that lacks substantive support, hardly a classic of the genre . The broadly favorable critical and popular reception is perhaps indicative of how starved we are for truly satisfying horror.