The horror genre has had something of a boom lately. In the past few years a handful of arthouse directors have managed to reinvigorate the rote and familiar genre script (though, Hollywood, like always, is lagging behind, fixated only on churning out sequels to anything that makes a buck). One noteworthy aspect of these new films is their attempt to scare not through gore or shaky cam or the thousand other cliched genre tropes, but through mind games (“Goodnight Mommy”), atmosphere (“The Babadook”), and completely new imaginings of monsters (“It Follows”). One film, though, is revolutionary in its complete and utter throwback perfection: “The Witch.”
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We loved “The Witch” when it debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and we weren’t alone. The film has been rightfully adored from critics and horror fans alike. And a huge part of that love is surely born of the careful depth that first time director Robert Eggers imbued into every aspect of the film. It’s a genre throwback of the highest caliber, one that takes everything good from a forgone moment in film and distills it into what we called, “A spellbinding, absolutely nightmareish picture that will genuinely make your blood run cold.”
To breakdown just why “The Witch” is so good and so damn scary (and it is really damn scary), Renegade Cut has put together a thoughtful and chilling new video essay. The 10-minute video runs down all the subtle intricacies packed within “The Witch,” and it highlights just how searing an indictment the film is of certain aspects of religion.
Whether or not you were a fan of the film, the video is well worth the watch. Though, beware, spoilers obviously abound. Check out the video, and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below.