The Wickies Men

Since his debut feature 'The Witch' made quite a splash in the indie horror genre and recouped 10 times its meager budget of $4 million back in 2016, theatre designer-turned-director Robert Eggers has proven that he’s not just a “one hit wonder” and is in fact a young talent (at 36 years old) to keep an eye on.  His sophomore effort, the equally unique and anachronistic black & white film ‘The Lighthouse,’ is another masterpiece of creeping dread and slow-burning suspense from a bygone era.

 

‘The Lighthouse’ is about strange occurrences at a lighthouse on a small island off the New England coast in the late 19^th Century, starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two unfortunate lighthouse keepers (or “wickies”) on a routine 4-week rotation to ensure that the lighthouse operates smoothly for its intended purpose in maritime navigation.  While important during an age without GPS, what the men are entasked to do can only be described as most boring and tedious.  Is it any surprise that madness would follow?

 

Like ‘The Witch,’ ‘The Lighthouse’ is steeped in history and New England myth, with superstitions of mermaids and sailors reincarnated as seagulls.  There is a certain old-fashioned, even vintage quality to Eggers’ filmmaking technique that harks back to the early days of Hollywood, not simply just because this movie was shot entirely in B&W but also due to its overall style, tone and feel.  And like ‘The Witch,’ the English dialogue in ‘The Lighthouse’ can be hard to follow to today’s audience, but don’t let that discourage you from seeing this excellent film.

Grade: A