If nautical nonsense be something ye wish, then boy do I have the film for you. Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse is his newest horror feature that is guaranteed to make you lose your mind. This film is an incredibly well-made tale of madness that features two of the most dedicated and unforgettable performances of the year from its two leads. From choking out a seagull to hallucinogenic, masturbatory sequences of a mermaid, there really is a whole lot to love in this film. While this movie ends up being unintentionally hilarious in many different moments, I feel like it, unfortunately, subtracted from the overall, filthy terror of this world. Thankfully there is enough ambiguity and intricate detail throughout the film that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the sanity of lighthouse keepers.
Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe) and Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) are two lighthouse maintenance workers who are dropped off at a remote island for four weeks to take care of the place. While Wake maintains his masculine superiority over Winslow, the two slowly but surely end up bonding, fighting, and literally driving each other insane on the horrific rock over the course of what ends up being much longer than four weeks. Eggers is so deliberate and talented when it comes to transforming these period pieces into abstract horror films and he continues this same mind-bending trend since his debut feature The Witch. His writing and direction are simultaneously mesmerizing and impossible to look at for too long. Eggers' storytelling ability is unmatched when it comes to creating a world for his unusual fantasies to play out in and he does so in this film with two nasty seamen and their battle for male dominance. I really enjoy how detailed and articulate this director is when it comes to bringing every aspect of his story full-circle. Every plot point involving Wake and Winslow's battle for control and eventual spiraling were tied together in the eeriest of ways, which not only creates a terribly squirmy atmosphere but made me fall headfirst into their struggles with them. Eggers' use of anxiety and tension working with the horror of this story is what makes it so special - the madness slowly creeping over you and drowning you in its monochromatic waves. Watching this film almost requires you to take a breather and for that, I would say Eggers succeeded.
I do not necessarily think, however, that The Lighthouse was as enveloping as The Witch in terms of asking its audience to bask in the horror. This was mostly because of its unintentional use of humor in its writing. There are so many scenes throughout this film that had me laughing pretty hard due to how ridiculous they were, such as Pattinson mangling a seagull and Dafoe repeatedly farting. I understand that Eggers' intent was to infuse a wicked sense of reality in these characters but for me, it took away from what could have been a much more insightful look into the descent of these two men. The relationship between the two leads could have been explored much deeper and given more to work with to make their madness a bit more substantial. Luckily, there is still plenty to make this salty story a deeply unsettling one and one whose characters are not afraid to take loads of fantastical risks within its script.
Pattinson and Dafoe are two of the best actors of today and I wouldn't be surprised if they were nominated for their seafaring shenanigans together. Their individual personalities embody these characters as they work so well together and honestly, Winslow and Wake are what I would expect Pattinson and Dafoe to be like in real life. They are both such distinct characters at first which makes them such an interesting pair and they are able to play with and off each other so nicely to carry this entire story. I might not have completely understood what they were saying the whole time due to their heavy accents and nautical dialect but there's more than plenty of context clues to draw from to get engaged in this world. These two characters are what drive this film to be so captivating and I loved how the relationship between the two dips its toes into themes of homo-eroticism and daddy issues. All Winslow wanted was a loving father but the line between idolized parent and misunderstood lover began to become blurred as the two fell into insanity. One thing for sure is that as an audience member, we're never quite sure what it is about these two that makes them so incompatible yet interesting but you are left craving more interaction between them. Along with Jarin Blaschke's stunning cinematography utilized with the silent film aspect ratio, The Lighthouse looks and feels utterly gorgeous.
Robert Eggers has done it again, providing yet another deeply disturbing and theoretical horror film that I expect to be analyzed for years to come. While The Lighthouse might be considered to be a minor step down from his debut feature, the amount of passion that Eggers puts into these projects shines bright like the light that curses this entire film. As compelling in its subtlety as it is beautiful in its technicalities, this is one that will definitely require a rewatch.
My Rating: ★★★★
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