The Witch (2015)
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A Puritan family in 1630s New England faces a terrifying ordeal when they are preyed upon by an evil force in the woods beyond their farm.
The story
In 1630s New England, a banished Puritan family seeks refuge on a farm near a large, secluded forest. Following the mysterious disappearance of their infant son, the family's internal stability begins to crumble. As they face the harsh realities of isolation and the looming threat of the wilderness, they become increasingly paranoid. The presence of a sinister force in the woods leads them to turn upon one another in fear and desperation, especially as suspicions arise regarding the oldest daughter's involvement with the supernatural.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being banished from their settlement, William and his family establish a farm near a dense forest. When their infant son, Samuel, disappears, the family falls into a state of distress. William takes his son Caleb into the woods to hunt a wolf, while the children interact with a goat named Black Phillip. Caleb is later found in a trance-like state, and the children begin to suspect Thomasin of witchcraft. Tensions peak when the children are locked in a goat house, where they witness a witch attacking them. During a hallucination, Katherine is attacked by a raven. Eventually, a violent confrontation leads Thomasin to kill her mother in self-defense. Alone, Thomasin strikes a bargain with Black Phillip, who transforms into a man and leads her to a coven of witches in the woods, where she joins them in a ritual of liberation.
- First release year
- 2015
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States; Canada; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- Early Modern English
- Directors
- Robert Eggers
- Writers
- Robert Eggers · writer
- Cast and characters
- Anya Taylor-Joy · Thomasin; Ralph Ineson · William; Kate Dickie · Katherine; Harvey Scrimshaw · Caleb; Ellie Grainger · Mercy; Lucas Dawson · Jonas
- Genres
- gothic folk horror; historical horror
- Themes
- religious extremism; conflict between civilization and nature; liberation from patriarchal structures
- Tone and mood
- atmospheric; tense; dissonant
- Premise and plot tags
- Puritanism; witchcraft; isolation; supernatural
- Content notes
- nudity
- Reception
- The film was a critical and financial success, described as a 'triumph of tone' and a 'masterpiece' by some critics, though it received mixed reactions from audiences regarding its slow pace and lack of traditional jumpscares.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 84 · scale: 100 · review count: 46; PostTrak · score: 55% · scale: percentage
- Production trivia
- The title is stylized as 'The VVitch' using two 'V's based on a Jacobean-era pamphlet.; The film was shot in Canada to take advantage of tax incentives.; A troupe of Butoh dancers performed as the coven of witches.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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