How does one give an impression of a film designed by its very nature to defy logic and sanity? Time, sense, reason, cohesion... all of these things break down magnificently in the face of ongoing isolation and madness. This is an experimental arthouse film made unashamedly for niche audiences, those who can withstand methodical pacing, ambiguous nonlinear structure, layers of subtext symbolism and who can be satisfied with questions left unanswered. (Pretty much studio A24’s entire demographic.) Shot entirely in 35mm black and white at a 1.19:1 aspect ratio everything looks literally like it was shot a century ago, but supremely polished, methodically crafted and with not a solitary frame overlooked. This is, without hyperbole: masterclass filmmaking by an auteur allowed to actualize a vision without compromise, resulting in a film that may baffle, perplex and certainly alienate audiences but will inevitably linger in the mind far past closing credits. Each scene is infused with a nebulous feeling of bleakness and disquiet, impossible to define but permeating every frame and line of dialogue. The centerpiece being absolutely tour de force performances from both Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson, who carry this film past expectation into surprising levels of hilarity, darkness and depth. Their chemistry and interaction is worth the price of admission alone, phenomenal actors who elevate an already fascinating film to exceptional. While definitively a horror film, it is nigh impossible to describe entirely why. Be it the descent into madness, hallucinatory nightmare sequences, disquieting dialogue or pervasive unease... Much of this film defies description or easy explanations. This is definitively not a film for everyone, but for those who enjoy a challenge, this is a glorious vision of madness and omnipresent dread wrapped in high levels of mythological subtext and exceptional performances unmatched by anything remotely on the horizon.
The Lighthouse