That opening is the best way for me to describe The Lighthouse, as it is a grim, haunting film about isolation that also is able to fit a laugh in there, making it one of the year's best films and easily one of the finest horror films of the decade.
It is a bit strange to praise it as horror, though, since the film itself isn't necessarily too scary. Despite this, it nails its bone-chilling story and atmosphere flawlessly.
It's shot in a black and white, 1.19:1 aspect ratio, making it pretty apparent from the start that this is going to be something special. It beautifully matches the ongoing mystery and tension that builds throughout the story and alone defines what this film is.
The sound design is also, without a doubt, the best of 2019. It creates the feeling of isolation that the characters are filled with perfectly. And the score by Mark Korven is one that will stick with viewers long after seeing it.
It's shot in a black and white, 1.19:1 aspect ratio, making it pretty apparent from the start that this is going to be something special. It beautifully matches the ongoing mystery and tension that builds throughout the story and alone defines what this film is.
The sound design is also, without a doubt, the best of 2019. It creates the feeling of isolation that the characters are filled with perfectly. And the score by Mark Korven is one that will stick with viewers long after seeing it.
But the big push that the film gets comes from its performances. The Lighthouse is a two-man show between Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, one being further proof that you can recover from being in Twilight and the other being another excellent addition to the filmography of one of the greatest actors of our time.
Pattinson's descent into madness is so captivating and convincing that it almost made me forget about Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. Then Dafoe is doing a terrific job as usual, offering a brilliant turn as an aging, and quite funny at times wickie. Both of which are deserving of awards recognition regardless of what category they are placed in.
The interactions between their two characters is also a marvel to witness. The more they get to know one another, the more unpredictable their actions towards one another gets. One minute they could be having having a great time with some drinks (they drink a lot in this film), the next they could be at each other's throats. It's fascinating to see how they deal with each other and try to get the other to mess up.
The Lighthouse in its entirety is a brilliant vision of one Robert Eggers', director and co-writer, come to life.
His direction is noteworthy alone for the fact that he was able to get as something as difficult to make as this made, but mainly that his focus on each scene is so clear in its purpose and meaning to the story.
Eggers' writing with his brother Max Eggers is nothing short of brilliant. I've already talked about how great the characters are, so nothing more needs to be said there. But the themes he dives into are something that can spark endless discussion. I won't go into detail about them here for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but keep in mind that it isn't shy about touching on deep subjects.
Not just that, but Eggers made this easily the funniest film of the year. Bits of comedy are sprinkled throughout the runtime and don't distract from the insanity happening at all. If anything, it makes it better, offering a comedic way of executing a rich scene.
I honestly find it difficult to criticize anything in The Lighthouse. In fact, I find it more difficult to believe that I didn't talk about everything that's great in this film. It's such a flawlessly crafted, impeccably acted, and insane work of cinema that can not be missed. It certainly won't be for everyone, but for those who it is for, you've got something special to see along with plenty of farting to watch.
Final Score: A+
Pattinson's descent into madness is so captivating and convincing that it almost made me forget about Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. Then Dafoe is doing a terrific job as usual, offering a brilliant turn as an aging, and quite funny at times wickie. Both of which are deserving of awards recognition regardless of what category they are placed in.
The interactions between their two characters is also a marvel to witness. The more they get to know one another, the more unpredictable their actions towards one another gets. One minute they could be having having a great time with some drinks (they drink a lot in this film), the next they could be at each other's throats. It's fascinating to see how they deal with each other and try to get the other to mess up.
The Lighthouse in its entirety is a brilliant vision of one Robert Eggers', director and co-writer, come to life.
His direction is noteworthy alone for the fact that he was able to get as something as difficult to make as this made, but mainly that his focus on each scene is so clear in its purpose and meaning to the story.
Eggers' writing with his brother Max Eggers is nothing short of brilliant. I've already talked about how great the characters are, so nothing more needs to be said there. But the themes he dives into are something that can spark endless discussion. I won't go into detail about them here for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but keep in mind that it isn't shy about touching on deep subjects.
Not just that, but Eggers made this easily the funniest film of the year. Bits of comedy are sprinkled throughout the runtime and don't distract from the insanity happening at all. If anything, it makes it better, offering a comedic way of executing a rich scene.
I honestly find it difficult to criticize anything in The Lighthouse. In fact, I find it more difficult to believe that I didn't talk about everything that's great in this film. It's such a flawlessly crafted, impeccably acted, and insane work of cinema that can not be missed. It certainly won't be for everyone, but for those who it is for, you've got something special to see along with plenty of farting to watch.
Final Score: A+
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