There has been a lot of chatter about the new film The Witch: A New England Folktale. For good reason. At first blush, perhaps due to the way the marketing is perceived and the type of movie most horror fans want, the audience is expecting your standard horror movie about, well, a witch.

Oh, but this film is so much more. There’s nothing ordinary or formulaic about this film. Not to say that it isn’t terrifying. From the very first frame, a sense of dread sets in and doesn’t leave. I’m still thinking about it and putting together connections. My 15-year-old and I saw it and we both admitted we thought about it all the next day.

To See or Not To See…

I had written an in-depth review citing all the symbolism, metaphors, compared it to other art-house horror films, the director and all of his research, the period authenticity, blah, blah, blah. Then I read it – meh, no.

What people want to know from a film review is this – Will I like it, and should I see it?

Here’s the thing. The Witch can be a polarizing experience.  Some people love it, others, not so much.

If you like a film that makes you think a lot, leads you to read and research some of the symbolism, leaves you feeling not quite sure how to interpret it and a bit unsettled, then this one is for you. If you like spotting imagery used in literature (the Bible, for instance), Puritanism, works of art, and traditional folktales, go.  If you liked The Babadook, It Follows, The Shining,  Picnic At Hanging Rock, and particularly The White Ribbon, see it in the theater. You’re going to want to talk about it with someone else who has seen it and is on the same level of film-geekiness. This is the reason we, the film nerds of the world, go to the movies. We wait years for films like this. Bonus: There a goat named Black Phillip.

If you prefer films like Annabelle, The Conjuring, Mama (all three I LOVED); something with a less difficult narrative, like Saw or The Purge, then wait for streaming or On Demand. You might be surprised how much you like The Witch, though.

So that’s it. No spoilers. None of me showing off my extensive knowledge of film, no pretentious pontificating.  🙂   I’m sure you can decide for yourself.

Have fun!!!

The trailer: