The Lighthouse (2019)


Director: Robert Eggers
Stars: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson
Runtime: 109 minutes

Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

Performances: 10/10
Screenplay: 10/10
Costumes/Makeup: 10/10
Editing: 9/10
Cinematography: 10/10
Score/Soundtrack: 10/10

Verdict: "The Witch" being my favorite horror movie of the decade, I have been eagerly awaiting for Robert Eggers' return to his directing habits since 2015. Four years later and tons of research later, he finally came back with "The Lighthouse", a psychological horror film starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Defoe as two wickies stranded on a New England island in the late 1800s. And let's just say that the long wait was absolutely, irrefutably worth it.
The film, which is based on both real life events and Greek mythologies, is a nightmarish, creepy trip that challenged my sanity and left me in absolute awe and shock for hours. That feeling of dread was achieved thanks to Eggers' mesmerizing direction, which utilizes its unique black and white cinematography and 1.19:1 aspect ratio to enhance the feeling of eeriness, as well as the year-best screenplay also written by Eggers alongside his brother. The performances by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are nothing short of career-defining, and their relationship is one that was fascinating to see unfold. The magnificent and hypnotic score by Mark Korven blends in perfectly with the spine-chilling atmosphere. To my surprise, I also laughed a lot during the nearly 2 hour runtime due to some golden deliveries and confrontations by the two leads.
It's more than safe to say that "The Lighthouse" is my favorite movie of the year and that I'll be rewatching it multiple times. Robert Eggers, with only two movies on his filmography, has already proven that he is one of the best director working today. I'm already excited to see whatever he does next and remember, bad luck comes if ye kill a 'gull.

FINAL GRADE: 10/10

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