Film review of Lighthouse- a critique by IGN

Full text transcript of the film review of Lighthouse:

Got to strike you, Winslow. Oh. Director Robert Eggers clearly enjoys a challenging film after his debut 2015, the which set in 50s New England and shot with candles and natural light, Eggers is back with the lighthouse set in the 90s on a remote island and filmed in bleak black and white. But the lighthouse, even with bona fide movie stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, isn’t even more challenging watch than its predecessor. Lighthouse keeper Thomas Wake and his new assistant, Ephraim Winslow, are dropped off on a tiny, isolated island to tend its tower for a month. Wake is a salty old sea dog bullying his new subordinate. Winslow is a man of few words who simply wants to get the job done. There’s tension between the pair from the off week, wishing to delve into Winslow’s mysterious past and endeavouring to frighten him with myths and legends, telling tales of deadly sirens and enchantments in the light and making claims that his predecessor went mad and promptly died. That tension builds and is exacerbated by Wake’s hard drinking and Winslow’s ghastly visions of horrors on the shore. Are the terrifying images in his mind, or is there some malevolent force at work? Needless to say, matters eventually come to a head in a harrowing fashion.

But the lighthouse is less about plot and more about psychological warfare. The power struggle between and Winslow is riveting. The men wanting to punch each other one minute and kiss each other the next in between the singing, arguing and dance. It’s a titanic clash that could appear ridiculous in the hands of lesser actors. But both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson deliver towering performances. You can’t take your eyes off to folk cracking jokes one minute threatening violence the next and breaking wind in the moments in between. Pattinson, meanwhile, is all pent up anger and simmering rage biting his tongue until he can chew it no more, then exploding through a terrifying tirade that makes you fear for Gotham’s crooks when he finally plays Batman. Both actors are given thrilling dialogue to exchange Eggers and his brother and co screenwriter Max using 19th century author Sarah Vaughan. Jewell’s work as a guide. Let their love of language bleed through every scene, the words instantly transporting you to the time and place and enriching the characters back and forth. The cold, stark photography also helps set the scene, breeding a horribly oppressive atmosphere and mirroring the harsh and unforgiving conditions the men face throughout. Yet, in spite of the many hardships presented on screen, Eggers and his cast find humor in the misery through clever wordplay, a spot of slapstick and Winslow’s ongoing battle with the seagull.

Indeed, if Black Peter was the witch’s breakout character launching a thousand Meems, this malevolent bird now has a shot at fame. The White House becomes more ambiguous as the film progresses, however, so don’t expect a devastating denouement like the one that made the witch so memorable. But two films in it’s becoming clear that a Robert Eggers film is less about the destination and more about the journey. And if you’re willing to give yourself over to the dark imagery, taxing language and terrifying themes, the lighthouse is one wild ride. But while it doesn’t hit the dizzying heights of the which, Robert Eggers second film is a powerful psychological thriller, it should do for remote Lighthouse is what The Shining did for remote hotels. Both Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson have never been better, which is really saying something. And as a rumination on loneliness, desolation and madness, the lighthouse is filled to the brim with disturbing dialogue and haunting images that will burrow into your brain. For more reviews, check out what we thought of Joker and Knives out. And as always, be sure to follow and subscribe wherever you like to watch in.