The Lighthouse (2019)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ 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 10^th 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!