The Lighthouse

Really well made movie. Great acting and I was really transported to another place and time. Well crafted for sure.. but in the end I'm not quite sure what the point of it all was. But maybe that was what the director was going for. Seemed like chaos for chaos sake. A strong film for sure though...

So many have commented already, I'll keep it short. I remember when I saw "Taxi Driver." I was amazed at DeNiro's performance, the incredible visuals, and the wonderful direction. We watched a man fall into a darkness that none of us could possibly survive. But what i remember to this day is being dragged through the world the film presents. There is a line where it is thought that one should take a part of the city and pour concrete over it, destroying the sickness and covering it forever. As I watched the really amazing, frenetic performances in this film, I had some of the same feelings. I reached a point where I wanted cleanliness and daylight. The cruelty from the beginning that never dissipates is all once can hold. It's about human destruction in a claustrophobic world, a living hell.

Robert Eggers' second (?) feature is a superb piece of mind-bending cinema. There are parallels with his earlier film, The Witch, elements of psychological horror which Eggers clearly finds interesting and hopefully hasn't finished exploring just yet. The decision to film in black and white is a stroke of genius. Every scene is filled with ominous portent and obscuring shadows. The film plays with our perceptions and moods throughout. There are moments of comedy amongst the gloom, the two men stranded on the rock endure a tumultuous relationship, by turns suspicious, angry and even savage, then there are unexpected moments of comradeship fuelled by alcohol. We are forced to question constantly who is mad, or perhaps madder? Are they in the grip of a storm, or are they in Hell? And the soundtrack! No one I can think of uses sound to create atmosphere quite like Eggers. Foghorns, the relentlessly howling wind, the seagulls; is it any wonder if they were as mad as a box of frogs? Willem Dafoe is absolutely fantastic in The Lighthouse. He really should be considered for an Oscar for his turn as the saltiest of old seadogs, spouting rage-filled Melville-esque invective straight from Davey Jones' locker, at sporadic intervals. I don't think there are many actors who could've pulled off that performance with such aplomb. He chews the scenery mercilessly, but it is exactly what the role requires; his Thomas Wake is a force of nature in human form. The Lighthouse won't be to everyone's taste, and it would be a mistake to view it as a moody twin sister of The Witch (which was a genuine horror); but I found it to be mesmerising and intriguing, and a fabulously well-crafted psychological drama with trimmings of horror.

The acting is great, the cinematograpgy is AMAZING! There's such a haunting feeling to this movie. The island and the lighthouse really feels like a place from wich you never return. Everything is amazing about this movie, and still i feel like something's missing. The plot just cant keep up with the rest of the movie.

I really loved watching it, but i didnt love it...

"The Lighthouse" is one of the strangest films I've ever seen. Describing it or even knowing whether or not I liked it is pretty difficult. Suffice to say, it was is a very, very unique movie...one that is quite haunting and difficult.

The story is set in the late 19th century and a lighthouse keeper (Willem Dafoe) and his assistant (Rob Pattinson) arrive at the facility for their tour of duty. At first, things seem pretty mundane, though over time they both seem to be losing their minds...Pattinson's character in particular. Where it goes from there is ugly, disturbing and weird.

This is definitely NOT a film for everyone. In fact, I'd go so far as to say most people probably would not like the film....and fewer yet would really enjoy it. But it also is a wholly original viewing experience and I can respect the folks who made it. The acting is good....and it feels much like peeking inside the mind of a madman. Overall, not enjoyable but also pretty amazing.