☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½
The
Lighthouse (2019) – R. Eggers
Robert
Eggers’ follow-up to The Witch (2015) is a must-see just for its incredible
craftmanship alone, not to mention the passion and intensity that all involved
seem to have put into it. Whereas The
Witch took us very realistically back to the 1630s, The Lighthouse is set in 1890
(and iMDb suggests his next film is a 10th century Viking revenge
film!!!). Again in impressive black and
white (with Oscar nominated cinematography by Jarin Blaschke) using old lenses/equipment
that required blazing lights and still resulted in a very dark look -- in line
with the dark themes. Robert Pattinson
and Willem Dafoe play lighthouse keepers (or “wickies”) who serve their time on
an isolated off-shore rock in rotating month-long shifts. Only the seagulls (which Dafoe’s salty old
seafarer calls the souls of departed seamen) are there to keep them company or
to act as adversaries even. Whereas
Dafoe’s Thomas Wake is used to the job, Pattinson (playing E. Winslow) is a first-timer
and we basically take his point-of-view, which may be unreliable, as he learns
the ropes and starts to wonder whether Wake is keeping secrets from him. As could be expected, the isolation starts to
have ill effects on Winslow’s mind and his relationship with Wake. The two actors, basically the only players
here, fully commit to their roles which require some extreme actions – and I
think we can agree that Pattinson and Dafoe are the right actors for this
journey. Of course, the look of the film
is incredible, with its period detail, clothes, sets, and so on, but the
dialogue itself is also drawn from period sources and Dafoe in particular
dishes up some amazing monologues.
Eggers even fashioned designed some shots after old paintings. Of course, it all leads up to the mystery of
the light itself, which has some Lovecraftian aspects. Gruelling but humorous and absorbing and
highly recommended!
