The Lighthouse Review

Image from A24 Films

Plot: 
Through the course of four weeks, two lighthouse keepers try to keep their sanity while living in a remote island in the 1890s.

Review: 
Since the studio's creation in 2012, A24 has become the go-to independent film studios delivering cinematic masterpieces such as Moonlight, The Lobster, Good Times, and Hereditary. In 2016, director Robert Eggers made his directorial debut with A24 by creating the modern horror classic The Witch, bringing psychological/horror period films back to life. After a four year hiatus, Eggers returns with his most ambitious film to date The Lighthouse, a true testament to his craft in early horror films. With breathtaking cinematography, brilliant performances by Robert Pattison and Willem Dafoe, storytelling, and pacing, The Lighthouse is one of the best movies of 2019 and in psychological horror since The Shining.  

The real highlight of the film would be the unbelievable and breathtaking performances between the two leads Robert Pattison and Willem Dafoe. Dafoe has proven once again that he's one of the most underrated actors over the past two decades and a genius in character study. His performance as veteran lighthouse keeper Thomas Wake is his best performance due to his commitment to the film and the madness of his character. Ever since the Twilight film, Robert Pattison has evolved into one of the best actors of the decade following a path made famous by Matthew McConaughey by playing well-developed characters instead of roles they're recognized. Just like his performance in Good Times, Pattison has further developed into a well-crafted actor, and his role in The Lighthouse is a sight to behold from start to finish. 

Image from A24 Studios

Another aspect of what makes The Lighthouse a unique film experience it's the brilliant and breathtaking cinematography by Jarin Blaschke. The Lighthouse is Blaschke's second collaboration with Eggers, and in this film, he expertly applied black and white instead of color and shooting in 35mm lens/boxy1.33.1 frame. In simpler terms, the film is entirely shot in a square-like format rather than the traditional widescreen known in today's cinema. Blaschke's decision is perfectly executed as the cinematography brought the 1890s feel of the movie to life and a tribute to early filmmaking practices.

What makes The Lighthouse one of the best horror films of the decade, it is focus on psychological terror rather than the occasional slasher/gory feel in recent films. The film does an excellent job on making the audience question if the events of the film are actually happening or just the imagination/madness of the two characters. Director Robert Eggers alongside his brother Max have written a soon to be classic in the horror genre and a huge triumph for independent filmmaking in the horror genre.