The lighthouse

The Lighthouse (2019), A24

Every once in awhile, there comes a film that one can't help but keep their attention firmly fixed upon in utter anticipation all throughout the months leading up to its release. For the modern masses, these films were Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers Endgame, and their ilk. And while these films give me a similar excitement, they didn’t elicit a kind of fascination and intrigue that otherwise was strangely out of character. The Lighthouse, however, gave me such a response. I am not one to go running to screenings of the latest horror film, in fact I generally avoid them. And yet, something about The Lighthouse felt different, to the point where after seeing the trailer for the first time, I’d be constantly checking local theater showtimes just to make sure I wouldn’t miss it upon release for months to come. And I am beyond delighted to say that I was not disappointed once the credits began to roll.

Without spoiling too much about the film, (because believe me, there’s a lot to spoil, and I recommend the viewer go into the theater knowing nothing about what they are about to witness) The Lighthouse follows two men, played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, taking their four week watch of a lighthouse off the coast of New England. While there, they slowly experience deep interpersonal tension amidst potentially supernatural circumstances that test their sanity to the breaking point. And that, simply, is about as much as I am willing to give away.

When I mentioned how the film followed two men in a lighthouse, I meant you virtually watch only two men in a lighthouse. This is to no fault whatsoever, because the waves of raw, explosive energy the two actors bring to the screen is haunting, mesmerizing, hilarious, and terrifying. Pattinson’s character starts off as a mysterious, yet relatable protagonist that struggles to adjust to his new line of work, while Dafoe comes across as a stereotypical sea captain type that barks orders and practically drinks himself to sleep every night. Quickly, however, preconceived notions about these characters are entirely shifted in ways one wouldn’t expect, with horrific results. By the end of the film, I physically felt my blood pounding like a kettle drum and my hands were shaking uncontrollably, which, I should clarify, was not an expressed result of “fear,” but the adrenaline pumping through my veins due to the relentless intensity The Lighthouse embodies on a deeply unnerving level. I actually found myself drawing a lot of parallels between this film and The Shining, in that both cover a cabin-fever type story, have themes of insanity and mistrustful characters, and integrate a sound design that makes the film frightening beyond all rational reason.

I honestly wish I could unpack every little thing I loved about this film, but doing so would warrant a few hundred page novel. All I can say, is that the film validated my excitement above and beyond expectations. If you have even a minor interest in seeing the film, I recommend you feed that interest. But be warned, behind that guise of a cheap horror flick shot in black and white, lies a wriggling beast of a film bent on shocking and shaking you to your very core.

Overall Rating: Most Triumphant

Entertainment Rating: Edge Of My Seat