On the basis of two films, Robert Eggers is cementing himself as a horror auteur interested in myth, folklore and a kind of New England turn of the century American horror. The Lighthouse (2019) is his second film after his critically acclaimed The VVitch. It will be challenging for some viewers – it’s black and white, it’s filmed in Academy ratio (square box frame) and its ole timey sailor dialogue is often indecipherably mumbled. For others on Eggers’ wavelength, this will be a dream movie.
Opening on a small island, two men are dropped off to carry out their service as Lighthouse keepers. We don’t learn their names for awhile but they are Winslow (Robert Pattinson), a young novice, and Thomas (Willem Dafoe) who presents himself as an experienced “wickie”. As the days and weeks past, the cramped, element conditions affect the two men, particularly Pattinson’s character who starts to see strange things that might be real or in his head. Then there seems to be a strange power to the light, something that Dafoe’s character is very protective of. Tensions continue to mount with the two men descending into madness…
This is a dark, eerie tale that also works as a comedy, signified the first time Dafoe’s character farts in bed. Yes, there are fart jokes and even one visual gag that seems lifted from the Will Ferrell comedy Step Brothers. It’s also an icky movie, taking place in a giant phallus, and is interested in all kinds of fluids. The two actors are great, Pattinson’s nervous energy bouncing off Dafoe’s gregarious scenery chewing. Much like The VVitch, there’s a lot more that is suggested than is actually delivered, and after all the hype, the resulting denouement was a little bit underwhelming (but I loved the last moments). Overall, I quite liked The Lighthouse for its entertaining performances, its beautiful gothic imagery, and its dedication to an old timey, psychological horror thriller that is almost like a masculine marriage comedy as well. Recommended.
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