A Reel Review: THE LIGHTHOUSE

In 2015, writer and director Robert Eggers messed with the minds of his audience with his supernatural/psychological horror film, THE WITCH. Much like the late great Kubrick, Eggers left a lot for the audience to figure out for themselves; filling in the blanks in-between plot points and twists. Here in 2019, he takes his style a step further with his closed-quarters creep-out, THE LIGHTHOUSE. 

In the late 19^th century, Winslow (Robert Pattinson), and Wake (Willem Dafoe), are assigned as caretakers of a lighthouse on an isolated island for four weeks. As a wicked storm extends their stay and stretches their rations, tensions and insanity rise…

The early goings of THE LIGHTHOUSE are grounded and focus on the two characters as they clash and learn to live with each other. Winslow is a young man still finding his way in the world, while Wake is a veteran of the sea packed with sea stories and fables and a tendency to fart every two minutes. Tensions rise when Winslow, under Wake’s command, is assigned the mundane tasks of cleaning, stoking coal, and emptying chamber pots…while Wake assigns himself the easier job of manning the lighthouse at night. 

Once the storm hits and their stay is extended, Winslow’s isolation and repetitive days begin to mess with his head. The lines between fantasy and reality become blurred, and things in the real world from mermaid dolls to sea stories about sea-gods and monsters begin to manifest in physical form in Winslow’s eyes. It’s a mind-fucker of a film, as director Robert Eggers throws one surprise and shock after another on the screen, and it isn’t until the stunning end where things begin to clear. 

On the screen THE LIGHTHOUSE shines bright. Eggers keeps the tension high enough that the entire run of the film is un-nerving. During foggy days a loud-as-hell foghorn must sound every 15 seconds, and Eggers doesn’t shy away from that…giving us that loud blast when we least expect it and then keeping it there. It brilliantly has the audience getting just as nervous as Winslow. The film looks gorgeous and creepy in its glorious black-and-white with deep shadows and classic horror-film lighting, and the 4:3 frame gives it that feeling of the walls closing in on both characters. The score by Mark Korven is tremendous. 

Acting is excellent. Robert Pattinson turns in a career-best and is a shock to see, while Willem Dafoe is equally brilliant. The two actors go through a lot of physical torture to get this film made, and it pays off on screen. 

Much like his previous effort, Eggers leaves blanks for the audience to fill in, and it is a true thinking-man’s film. It has strong roots in horror, film-noir, and psychological drama…and Egger’s love for Kubrick shows in more ways than one. Its creep-factor and ability to get under the skin and stay there will have audiences thinking about this one long after the final storm. 

BOTTOM LINE: See it