Robert Eggers' second (?) feature is a superb piece of mind-bending cinema. There are parallels with his earlier film, The Witch, elements of psychological horror which Eggers clearly finds interesting and hopefully hasn't finished exploring just yet.
The decision to film in black and white is a stroke of genius. Every scene is filled with ominous portent and obscuring shadows. The film plays with our perceptions and moods throughout. There are moments of comedy amongst the gloom, the two men stranded on the rock endure a tumultuous relationship, by turns suspicious, angry and even savage, then there are unexpected moments of comradeship fuelled by alcohol. We are forced to question constantly who is mad, or perhaps madder? Are they in the grip of a storm, or are they in Hell?
And the soundtrack! No one I can think of uses sound to create atmosphere quite like Eggers. Foghorns, the relentlessly howling wind, the seagulls; is it any wonder if they were as mad as a box of frogs?
Willem Dafoe is absolutely fantastic in The Lighthouse. He really should be considered for an Oscar for his turn as the saltiest of old seadogs, spouting rage-filled Melville-esque invective straight from Davey Jones' locker, at sporadic intervals. I don't think there are many actors who could've pulled off that performance with such aplomb. He chews the scenery mercilessly, but it is exactly what the role requires; his Thomas Wake is a force of nature in human form.
The Lighthouse won't be to everyone's taste, and it would be a mistake to view it as a moody twin sister of The Witch (which was a genuine horror); but I found it to be mesmerising and intriguing, and a fabulously well-crafted psychological drama with trimmings of horror.
Review of The Lighthouse
