The Lighthouse (2019)
Note this is a spoiler free review, I have since posted a full spoiler filled discussion on the film which you can find here
As I have established previously, I am not the biggest fan of most modern horror movies filled with cheap jump scares and an overwhelming lack of depth. Every year the first couple of months seem to be filled with the bottom of the barrel when it comes to horror movies as it is a place where you can easily dump a film and move on. In early 2016 right before really jumping on their ship A24 put out The Witch, not having any real knowledge of what the film was or the company behind it I dismissed the film as just another crappy horror movie dumped at the beginning of the year and honestly planned on skipping it altogether, then people started talking. It got called one of the most effective and interesting horror films of not just the decade but the modern era with many calling writer/director Robert Eggers one of the most interesting filmmakers to keep an eye on. Over the years to follow it seems like most would forget about Eggers with the rise of other promising filmmakers pushing the core of the horror genre such as Ari Aster and Trey Edward Shults but Eggers would finally return catching everyone's eye at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival with his sophomore film The Lighthouse. Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) are sent to take care of a remote lighthouse for a month with only each other as company. Thomas is a bit harsh being the more experienced of the two and as the weeks go on tension starts to build between him and Winslow. It is clear both figuratively and literally that a storm is brewing as secrets are revealed and spirits begin to haunt these men as they slowly start to sink into madness.
As I have established previously, I am not the biggest fan of most modern horror movies filled with cheap jump scares and an overwhelming lack of depth. Every year the first couple of months seem to be filled with the bottom of the barrel when it comes to horror movies as it is a place where you can easily dump a film and move on. In early 2016 right before really jumping on their ship A24 put out The Witch, not having any real knowledge of what the film was or the company behind it I dismissed the film as just another crappy horror movie dumped at the beginning of the year and honestly planned on skipping it altogether, then people started talking. It got called one of the most effective and interesting horror films of not just the decade but the modern era with many calling writer/director Robert Eggers one of the most interesting filmmakers to keep an eye on. Over the years to follow it seems like most would forget about Eggers with the rise of other promising filmmakers pushing the core of the horror genre such as Ari Aster and Trey Edward Shults but Eggers would finally return catching everyone's eye at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival with his sophomore film The Lighthouse. Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) are sent to take care of a remote lighthouse for a month with only each other as company. Thomas is a bit harsh being the more experienced of the two and as the weeks go on tension starts to build between him and Winslow. It is clear both figuratively and literally that a storm is brewing as secrets are revealed and spirits begin to haunt these men as they slowly start to sink into madness.
From the very first image of this film which was released just before it debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, I was completely sold on this movie. Not only was this finally another outing for Robert Eggers but both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are two of my favorite actors and I am not only a sucker for most modern black and white aesthetics but also the old salty lighthouse aesthetic. My dream for the longest time was to live in a lighthouse and there is something about the roughness and rawness of things like sea shanties and lighthouses that have always spoken to me. The initial buzz around this movie was also insane, it seemed like over the course of its multiple screenings at the Cannes Film Festival everyone was talking about this movie and losing their minds over it. The hype was there and it sustained itself all the way to me finally being able to sit down and watch this movie. More than any other movie this year I had butterflies in my stomach as I entered the theater to finally see this movie, and I am so happy I can say that after over 5 months of waiting for this movie fully delivered. It is easily not just one of the weirdest and most crazy films of the year but one of the most interesting. As I sat and thought about this movie it challenged me more than any other movie this year so far, it is a movie that you can view in an endless number of ways and each person will take something completely different from it.
First I want to get the technical elements of this film out of the way. From a visual design standpoint, this might be my favorite movie of the year so far. I am always a fan of a 1.19:1 aspect ratio as it provides a clear and focused layout for cinematography and like I said this movie had me in the palm of its hand with its setting and black and white appearance. This movie does such a great job at transporting you onto this rock and the cinematography from Jarin Blaschke is some of the best of the year. The actual production design has also been getting a lot of love (which it does deserve fully) but I also thought the makeup used in this movie was extremely impressive. I can't give too much away but the physicality that this movie uses in some of its scenes through their use of makeup makes those scenes so much more impactful and haunting. The sound design is also shockingly being overlooked and under appreciated, this movie is infested with blaring horns and uncomfortable noises that not only is angering to the audience but the men stuck on the island with those noises (I mean angering in a good way, sure its jarring but its never annoying to where it became a negative).
First I want to get the technical elements of this film out of the way. From a visual design standpoint, this might be my favorite movie of the year so far. I am always a fan of a 1.19:1 aspect ratio as it provides a clear and focused layout for cinematography and like I said this movie had me in the palm of its hand with its setting and black and white appearance. This movie does such a great job at transporting you onto this rock and the cinematography from Jarin Blaschke is some of the best of the year. The actual production design has also been getting a lot of love (which it does deserve fully) but I also thought the makeup used in this movie was extremely impressive. I can't give too much away but the physicality that this movie uses in some of its scenes through their use of makeup makes those scenes so much more impactful and haunting. The sound design is also shockingly being overlooked and under appreciated, this movie is infested with blaring horns and uncomfortable noises that not only is angering to the audience but the men stuck on the island with those noises (I mean angering in a good way, sure its jarring but its never annoying to where it became a negative).
The acting is also really fantastic, there really is no one else in this film other than Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe but clearly that is all that is needed here. Both have such incredible chemistry which is impressive considering how strange and muddy their relationship is. They are constantly at each other's throats but also have to like each other as they are all they have. They cannot let their frustrations with each other turn into hatred, thee forced to turn that into respect and love (whether or not that's subconscious or intentional is a different conversation). I cannot recall seeing a relationship quite like this portrayed on film before and both bring such a ferocious and almost beastly performance to their characters. These men are angry and crazy yet also terrified and anxious. They constantly walk a tightrope between insane and genius and when you put all these elements and sides together you get two characters that seem nearly impossible to play but somehow these two pull it together and end up delivering two of the best performances of the year.
The story is where things get interesting, now being spoiler-free this section is going to be vague (I am heavily considering seeing the movie again and writing a full spoiler article breaking down my thoughts on the film) but for now I will say this film clearly has an incredible amount of depth to it. It dances with the idea that something huge is going on but doesn't lean on that as a weak excuse for craziness. I also think the mystery surrounding just who these two men are is fascinating, the only thing we know about them is what they tell us which could be completely false information. Slowly we learn more and more but as we fall deeper and deeper into the void of insanity things become harder and harder to believe. I definitely have some early theories sticking out to me about this film and what it is trying to say. Just quickly I will say as I was watching it the first real subject to come to my mind was of sexuality and a rejection of it but as the film grows it becomes deeper and deeper. This is definitely not one of those movies that seem to have one clear thing its trying to say, it isn't a puzzle with only one answer. This film gives you enough pieces that you could build dozens of puzzles and whatever you are able to put together if your views on the movie. As I said someone else could see this film and take something totally separate away from the film and their views would make total sense. This is a movie I want to discuss with others and I want to see again to further understand my views of the plot.
Overall I wish I could go more in-depth with this movie but this is where I feel like it is best to leave off for now. I probably will have another article up about this movie breaking down my theories as they have more time to form but past the deeper voices this movie has to it I can say for certain that this movie is brilliant. Not only is it a technical marvel with some of the best cinematography and visual design of the year so far but it gives two incredible performances that as I said have to go down as some of the best of the year. This movie will overall go down as one of the best of the year for me, just like the light that Thomas Wake holds so closely this is a movie that called to me and won't seem to let go. It is madness and it's far from a pleasant viewing experience but that is by design. This is a movie that is supposed to challenge you and make you feel like you are losing your mind with these characters and it nails that while also engaging you in a deeper conversation. Where I was a big fan of The Witch, The Lighthouse is for me is Robert Eggers's masterpiece. If it is playing near you then please take that trip out to the island and see just how mad ye can get.
The story is where things get interesting, now being spoiler-free this section is going to be vague (I am heavily considering seeing the movie again and writing a full spoiler article breaking down my thoughts on the film) but for now I will say this film clearly has an incredible amount of depth to it. It dances with the idea that something huge is going on but doesn't lean on that as a weak excuse for craziness. I also think the mystery surrounding just who these two men are is fascinating, the only thing we know about them is what they tell us which could be completely false information. Slowly we learn more and more but as we fall deeper and deeper into the void of insanity things become harder and harder to believe. I definitely have some early theories sticking out to me about this film and what it is trying to say. Just quickly I will say as I was watching it the first real subject to come to my mind was of sexuality and a rejection of it but as the film grows it becomes deeper and deeper. This is definitely not one of those movies that seem to have one clear thing its trying to say, it isn't a puzzle with only one answer. This film gives you enough pieces that you could build dozens of puzzles and whatever you are able to put together if your views on the movie. As I said someone else could see this film and take something totally separate away from the film and their views would make total sense. This is a movie I want to discuss with others and I want to see again to further understand my views of the plot.
Overall I wish I could go more in-depth with this movie but this is where I feel like it is best to leave off for now. I probably will have another article up about this movie breaking down my theories as they have more time to form but past the deeper voices this movie has to it I can say for certain that this movie is brilliant. Not only is it a technical marvel with some of the best cinematography and visual design of the year so far but it gives two incredible performances that as I said have to go down as some of the best of the year. This movie will overall go down as one of the best of the year for me, just like the light that Thomas Wake holds so closely this is a movie that called to me and won't seem to let go. It is madness and it's far from a pleasant viewing experience but that is by design. This is a movie that is supposed to challenge you and make you feel like you are losing your mind with these characters and it nails that while also engaging you in a deeper conversation. Where I was a big fan of The Witch, The Lighthouse is for me is Robert Eggers's masterpiece. If it is playing near you then please take that trip out to the island and see just how mad ye can get.