The Lighthouse review

THE LIGHTHOUSE:

ROBERT PATTINSON AND WILLEM DAFOE MAKE ROBERT EGGERS’ THRILLER “SHINE” BRIGHT WITH SUSPENSE!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

A24

There is enchantment in the light (Not really!) in The Lighthouse

            Director Robert Eggers (The Witch) continues in his dark, unsettling visual flair that made 2016’s The Witch a powerhouse with both critics and audiences with his latest psychological thriller, The Lighthouse. This is an interesting film to say the least because not only is it filmed in black-and-white but also cropped at a 1:19:1 aspect ratio and shot on 35mm film as a callback to classic suspense films from the 1950s which may throw mainstream viewers off but if you don’t mind unconventional artistic decisions then this movie is for you.

            I wouldn’t exactly call this a scary movie, there are some genuinely creepy moments but it’s more of a tense movie that keeps you on your toes and you don’t really know where the plot is going. It’s also one of those really complex films that requires your undivided attention or multiple viewings to fully understand it, this is a great movie but damn my brain hurts.

            The Lighthouse is one of the trippiest experiences I’ve ever had in a movie theater, from its grim and unnerving production design and tone, haunting imagery, slow but fascinating and intelligently crafted mystery, and 100% committed performances by Robert Pattinson (The Twilight Saga, High Life, The Batman) and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, John Wick), I was on the edge of my seat from the start all the way to the closing credits. It’s definitely a worthy film for Robert Eggers to follow The Witch up, though I’m currently not sure which movie I prefer more.

            The film is set in the 1890s and follows two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island. Both of them are polar opposites, Ephraim Winslow (Pattinson) is very quiet and not a social man whereas the irritable but more experienced lighthouse keeper Thomas Wake (Dafoe) is incredibly social and will get conversations going whether Winslow likes it or not. 

            They’re both stuck on this isolated island with no one else but each other, but as they operate the lighthouse over time things start to get a little crazy. Working day after day on the island with only each other to talk to, Winslow and Wake begin to slowly descend into madness.

            Overall, The Lighthouse boasts excellent performances by Pattinson and Dafoe as well as a chillingly gothic tone and continues to show Robert Eggers full capabilities as a director. It isn’t a generic scary movie where something supernatural is occurring on the island, but rather psychologically frightening similar to films like Psycho or The Shining where you’re watching these two men slowly go insane and building up suspense. 

            It is also a very open-ended movie that will lead to many conversations, theories, and interpretations which is wonderful because if a movie is making viewers ask questions and talk to each other about its themes and what they mean then it’s doing something right. This is the kind of movie you watch with your friends and discuss it afterwards and I guarantee you will hear some very interesting interpretations of what this film means.

            The production design, cinematography, and technical work are amazing and the black-and-white and use of 35mm film help make the time period come alive. Somehow, they find a balance between being both beautiful and frightening. 

            Of course, let’s talk about the acting, both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are absolute powerhouses in this movie and some of the best acting I’ve ever seen from either of them. Pattinson starts off as the quiet guy who isn’t very social but by the end he totally hams it up and goes full on crazy with serious psychological issues on the side, Dafoe as the creepy elder lighthouse keeper who Pattinson works for and is hiding a secret from him is great and leads to some great over-the-top acting, he certainly loves to chew the scenery and this movie is no exception. 

            The Lighthouse is an intelligently crafted retro throwback to classic suspense films from the 1950s but with a modern twist and will hopefully lead to more scary films from Robert Eggers, this guy knows how to scare people without relying on typical horror movie conventions. It’s an acquired taste and probably won’t appeal to everyone but those in the mood for something different and creepy then this 19^th century “Lighthouse” is for you with Pattinson and Dafoe’s performances ironically shining much brighter than the actual lighthouse.