When thinking of recently successful filmmakers who clearly have a love for this craft, Robert Eggers is a name that comes to mind. Coming off the success of the 2015 critically acclaimed film The Witch, all eyes were on Eggers to see if he could follow up on what is considered a modern horror masterpiece. After seeing The Lighthouse, there is no doubt in my mind that this director is going to be around for a while to indulge viewers and provide them with truly a transcendent cinematic experience.
Dropping the viewer directly into the circumstances of its main protagonist, the film starts off following Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) as he is on a boat to an isolated island off the coast of New England in the late 19th century. Upon arriving at this island, we find out that Ephraim is serving a contract job as a lighthouse keeper under an elderly man named Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe). Even though the viewer learns through their first few interactions that this job is only for four weeks, Thomas explains that the work is both physically and mentally exhausting, and that other men in Ephraim’s position have not been able to endure these conditions. In addition to these circumstances, one can also feel the sense of depravity simply by looking at Thomas’s presentation. He is blunt, emotionally withdrawn, and does nothing but drink during the evenings when he is not performing his usual labor.
The interactions between Ephraim and Thomas are by far the most captivating aspect of the entire film. Pattinson and Dafoe are at the top of their game here, allowing the viewer to experience a wide range of emotions as their characters develop throughout the entirety of the film. These two men are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to emotional and intellectual understanding, and the viewer feels this when experiencing their interactions. After long days of strenuous labor and extreme weather conditions, one can feel the stress that these men endure. While Thomas has his responsibilities as a supervisor, Ephraim does more of the grunt work and is completely submissive to Thomas’s harsh approach of command. Even though the viewer gets the impression that Ephraim wants to be there and sees this as a great opportunity to further his career, we see that he is pushed to his absolute limits. This result in a subconscious resentment that further develops as the two become more comfortable around each other’s presence.
The tension that ensues is made even more prominent by the technicality choices that Eggers makes as a director. Choosing to film the movie in 4:3 aspect ratio, as well as black and white, the viewer gets the sense that this is a dreary environment to be in. The ratio choice makes the film feel claustrophobic, which does nothing but add to the sense of isolation that the characters deal with being on a remote island. The choice to go black and white not only makes the film feel genuine in its 19th century approach, but the absence of color allows the viewer to feel a sense of coldness that the characters themselves experience. Just like with these characters, this film deprives you of normalcy and takes you on a psychological journey.
While The Lighthouse has been met with high praise, it should be made clear that this is not a film for everyone. This film succeeds when looking through the lens of technicality and character performances, but in terms of storytelling, it does not provide the viewer with all the answers that they are so used to receiving with more recent films. This is a film that prides itself on ambiguity, and for all of those that admire this trait, you are going to love every minute of this experience. Roger Eggers is a filmmaker that trusts his audience with larger than life questions, and even finds satisfaction in leaving the audience questioning what exactly it is that they just observed on-screen. This is a truly unsettling experience, but in all the right ways. This film will make you question your own insanity, as you desperately try to figure out exactly which direction these characters are going next.
Review – 3.5 out of 4 stars