Two men with troubled pasts, isolated on an island from the rest of civilisation, what possibly could go wrong? That is the question posed by director/co-writer Robert Eggers with his sophomore outing, The Lighthouse. Set on an island off the coast of New England the film tells the simple story of two wickies (lighthouse keepers) trying to fend off cabin fever as they embark a four-week stretch together at their station.
Whilst doing promotional work for The Lighthouse, Eggers would regularly state that “Nothing good can happen when two men are trapped alone in a giant phallus.” Given how the film pans out that is quite the understatement.
If The Witch (Eggers’ previous film and feature debut) was about female empowerment, then The Lighthouse is almost certainly about the degradation of man.
A Nightmarish Tale of Isolation and Paranoia!
Make no mistake this is no ordinary horror film as Eggers places a tentacle like grip on the hearts and minds of the audience and tightens it, unrelenting with every passing minute. By plunging us into the darkest reaches of his imagination we share in the character’s questioning of time and self as they descend into pure madness. What makes this all the more impressive is how Eggers achieved this on a very modest budget which is a testament to the film’s terrific script.
As with his previous film Eggers along with his brother Max produce another script with rich dialogue that is very meticulous in being historically accurate. It utilises maritime speech lifted from the likes of Melville to great effect as it is delivered with a hypnotic rhythm.
Alongside this, the Eggers brother’s script wears is clearly influenced by the work of H.P. Lovecraft and the story of Prometheus from Greek mythology looms largely over the film. Another surprising aspect of the script is just how funny it is as not only through the insults traded between the two main characters but the physical humour. One such scene which paying a foul tribute to The Big Lebowski may prove too much for some viewer’s stomachs but the bleak humour fits the hellish world Eggers creates.
A Masterclass in Cinematography and Sound Design
Filmed with an aspect ratio of 1.19:1 in monochrome, the striking visuals transport the audience to the film’s time period inducing a sense of both claustrophobia and paranoia as we question what remains unseen outside of the tight picture. This is an absolute credit to the cinematographer, Jarin Blaschke whose use of shadow drenches the film in an atmosphere of unfiltered dread.
As brilliant as the film’s visuals are, so too is its sound design. From the first time, the ominous foghorn drones as the doomed pair watch their ship disappear from sight the film sets you off on a journey of unease that does not let up. If it isn’t the sound of the foghorn, it is the screeching from seagulls or the howling wind that turns this place of seeming solitude into a living hell. The characters internalise all of the external noise causing them to resent each other and their predicament as the littlest of things such as the pronunciation of the word you can lead to a full-blown argument.
A film like this stands or falls with it’s leading performances and in this case both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe are stellar. Pattinson’s former timberman, Howard in search of a fresh start begins with a very muted performance with a mysterious presence, but as tensions rise and his sanity begins to unravel his performance reveals his character’s deranged yet vulnerable side. Pattinson delivers this with a great deal of physical heft.
Opposite him, Dafoe’s grizzled, abrasive sea dog, Wake is the perfect intolerable foil for Pattinson. He is nothing short of magnetic in the role as he delivers blistering and vivid monologue’s from the ancient depths of the ocean. For all of his bravado, there are moments of fragility that surface occasionally which serve to only further elevate Dafoe’s masterful performance which peaks as he invokes the wrath of Neptune onto Pattinson for insulting his culinary skills.
Joe’s Verdict
If you go into this film seeking jump scares or CGI monsters then you are going to be bitterly disappointed but if you want an outstanding piece of psychological horror that lingers in the memory long after the final nightmarish frame, then The Lighthouse right up your alley. With contemptuous chemistry between the two leads who deliver powerhouse performances, a script with an unforgiving sense of dread and some stark visuals, The Lighthouse is a true horror great that lures you into a false sense of security before trapping you within its nightmare.
