HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 8: THE WITCH -- A NEW ENGLAND FOLKTALE (2015)

There are horror films and then there are horror films. The former are scary roller coaster rides that terrify and delight at the same time. A perfect example would be the film THE CONJURING. Then there are the horror films that don't necessarily scare you but actually horrify you. These films are quite different in that you leave them feeling sullied, unsure of the world you live in, and sometimes with images you wish to God that you had never seen. These films are not fun but rather an experience with something wrong and sometimes truly evil. These films represent the deep end of horror.

THE WITCH is a truly authentic and horrifying film exploring the account of one family beset by witchcraft. True witchcraft is a deeply unsettling subject, one that inflicts mental scars and leaves you forever changed. The Witch strives to do just that and, in my humble opinion, succeeds. I would not recommend this film to just anyone, but to those looking for a disturbing experience and a visual exercise in evil. There is nothing fun about this film. It is a well done film nonetheless. This might be the single most horrifying experience you engage in on film.

THE PLOT

Colonial era America. William, his wife, and five children have been banished from the puritan colony because of a religious dispute. They travel into the unexplored wilderness and build a new home for themselves at the edge of the woods. Life out on the frontier proves difficult for William and his family. Their fall harvest is sparse and the animals are producing the bear minimum. Then one day William's infant son disappears, snatched away by someone or something into the woods. This is only the beginning of their troubles as a dark force seemingly targets them one by one.

THE GOOD

Authenticity. According to the end credit roll for the film, the filmmakers aimed for a purely authentic take on witch lore. And they succeeded. The Witch is a period film set in the 1630's. The dialog in the film was written in the speech of the 1630's with minimal modernizing. As you'd expect the costumes and sets appear just as historically accurate. And to top it all off the acting is well done and believable. The result is an incredibly immersive story that makes you glad you don't live during that time in history.

Realism vs Fantasy. This is one of the most realistic depictions of witches I've ever seen. The film sets an ominous tone from the start with a subtle and unnerving score. Then the very land itself becomes a frightening character within the story. The woods and wilderness were once thought of as a terrifying place not to be ventured into lightly. This film turns the woods into one of the most frightening places imaginable. Add to that the feeling of isolation and paranoia to create the perfect horror film landscape.

But within this realistic depiction there are fantastical elements that go beyond reality, elements which the filmmakers approach from a realistic point of view. Again, in the credit roll it is stated that much of the film was derived from actual documented accounts from that time period. If in these accounts of witchcraft these practitioners were reported flying and riding on broomsticks, what would that look like in real life? The film strives to show us these fantastical elements in as realistic a way as possible.

THE BAD

Despite its name, The Witch doesn't focus on the witch so much as it focuses on the family beset by witchcraft. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The few scenes that the audience participates in with the witch are truly disturbing and uncomfortable scenes. An entire film through the eyes of such a character might be unpalatable even for the most brutal film aficionado. Such a film however might prove interesting to see in a purely soul damning masochistic way. Then there is the rather slow pace of the film. This wasn't a problem for me, in fact I felt it was a strength of the film. But for the majority of today's audiences as well as the casual horror fan this could be a turn off. Make no mistake, this isn't your typical summer blockbuster horror film.

THE VERDICT

The Witch isn't a fun movie. It's a black hearted story of pure evil. The film accomplishes striking realism and incredible authenticity making the viewer believe in the fantastic and horrifying nature of the witches we've all heard about as children. When our parents warned us about witches this is what they were talking about. This is why people were so paranoid and afraid during the Salem Witch Trials. If you ever questioned the existence of a dark force at work in the world, The Witch will make you believe and fear.

Overall Ranking: 7 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 3 out of 10