Released: 31st January 2020 (UK)
Length: 109 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe
The slow burn is an unapologetic style of filmmaking; it doesn’t aim to appeal to a broad audience, nor does it conform to popular trends. After debuting to the masses with 2015’s The Witch, director Robert Eggers has brought us “The Lighthouse”, a masterful creation that ranks among the creepiest and most suspenseful films ever made.
Set in the late 19th Century, the plot follows the young Ephraim Winslow, who is sent to work as a wickie under the lighthouse keeper Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe). The distant island appears to be a worthy direction for Winslow to take, but bs the two colleagues hunker down and get to their duties, loneliness and isolation envelopes them and they begin to go insane. Taking place entirely on this one remote island, The Lighthouse is a deeply absorbing and frightful tale from start to finish, warping and distorting its imagery to create a picture you’ll never look away from for a second. The perspective of our two main leads never waivers and they create the central anchor of the narrative. We’re always so curious to learn more about these two men, yet also pondering what horrors lurk around the next corner; as their personal reality fractures, things grow more and more twisted and the film’s hook grips us fully. I was reminded of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining while watching and like that venerable classic, The Lighthouse is absolutely relentless in its layering of build-up and release of scares. This intoxicating story is matched by the two performers driving it forward.
With only two main actors to its name, The Lighthouse commits absolutely to showing them gradually lose their minds. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are both superb throughout and it starts with the contrast between the two characters; both appear to be hiding something but we’re rarely sure what that is. Winslow is young and inexperienced, often questioning his superior and getting steadily sicker of the work with every passing day. On the other hand, Thomas Wake is an age-old man of the sea, well accustomed to tending the lighthouse and at first appearing to want a partner for assistance. The interactions between the two are written very naturally, laced with humour, resentment and everything else in-between; The Lighthouse explores the full spectrum of relations between the two, creating a deeply engaging dynamic between the two main characters. Then there’s the finer details; the dialogue is mostly true to the time period, but at points I was reminded of the language of Shakespeare; whether it’s monologues, complaints or simple comments, all of it is delivered to an exceptional level. This is especially true for Willem Dafoe’s character. The ways in which this older sea dog exerts his authority over his younger partner are immensely impactful, moments that can stand among the best of the actor’s career. In the end though, both actors do an amazing job with both the characters and the ways in which their psyches break down over the course of the film.
What immediately sticks out in The Lighthouse is its filmmaking style; to any modern audience, it will feel very old-fashioned. Shot in black and white and presented in a narrow, vintage 1.19.1 aspect ratio that doesn’t quite fit the cinema screen; these combined pillars lay the groundwork for the film’s unrelenting and near flawless use of tension. Atmosphere is key to psychological horror and from the moment the film begins, every last detail works to pull us in. The stormy weather and constant sense of being alone looms over everything like a fog, which only enhances the more disturbing moments. Eggers gets incredibly creative with the camerawork, seamlessly gliding around the set and keeping sinister secrets just out of view to deliver their razor-sharp impact. The music by Mark Korven is mostly minimalistic, relying on simple hums to set the foreboding mood, before rocking your ears in a burst of fright; a perfect complement to the charged spooks. All in all, you’re so completely engrossed in the film that its passage of time becomes seamless, drifting away into the background and mirroring how the days and nights of the lighthouse keepers slowly blend together. It’s absolutely fantastic filmmaking.
Chillingly tense and immaculately produced, The Lighthouse is a truly excellent effort from Robert Eggers, who has proven to be one of the most underrated directors in the business today. It stands apart from so many modern films and I can’t recommend it enough, see it as soon as you can.
Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)
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