“The Lighthouse” will have audiences losing their minds

By: Kevin Conley

Staff Writer

“The Lighthouse” is a dark comedy horror directed by Robert Eggers, who is best known for his directorial debut “The VVitch.”

“The Lighthouse” is about two lighthouse keepers, played by Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, who are sent to a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s. 

During their time on the island they discover supernatural occurrences that cause them to slowly lose their minds. 

Ephraim Winslow, played by Pattinson, is a quiet and hard-working man who is hired to assist Thomas Wake, played by Dafoe, a talkative and heavy-drinking ship captain who holds many secrets, in looking after the lighthouse on the island.

“The Lighthouse” can be described in two words: pure insanity. There are so many things to like about this film. 

First off, let’s talk about the acting. Pattinson was mesmerizing as Ephraim Winslow for many reasons. He starts off as this quiet, yet very secretive person who only wants to work for money, then as the movie goes on he becomes a drinker who feels like he can confess the mistakes he did in the past. 

Pattinson gives a great performance throughout the film as Winslow slowly starts to lose his mind. 

Willem Dafoe was also brilliant as Thomas Wake. Dafoe has always been considered a brilliant actor, as evident by his 2-year Academy Award nomination streak for films like “The Florida Project” (2017) and “At Eternity’s Gate” (2018). I personally think that “The Lighthouse” is Dafoe’s best work and it definitely deserves the Oscar-worthy praise.

There’s also the cinematography which takes the atmosphere of this film from 2019 all the way to a 1960’s black and white horror flick that reminds audiences what classic films used to be like. 

The screenplay was well-written and effortlessly blended the characters of this film into the setting of late 19th century New England. Eggers was really good at creating dialogue that makes the characters communicate and act like people who lived during this century.

  Eggers directed this film brilliantly. He shows the character’s story to audiences in a way that helps them feel physically and mentally invested. Since Wake and Winslow are the only ones on the island, they only have each other to talk to. They drink, they dance, they argue, they fight, they hug and interact in many ways. 

The way the characters act symbolizes the power of what men can do and how they can react to it. The film also make audiences feel like they’ve lost their minds too, which made it even more entertaining.

 It was also disturbing when it comes to the consequences the characters make and the strange occurrences that happen in the film. However, there were some comedic aspects making “The Lighthouse” surprisingly funny.

“The Lighthouse” proves to the horror genre that horror films can be original, and directors like Robert Eggers don’t have to try so hard to value their films with art. The thing about Eggers that makes him a good filmmaker today, is that he doesn’t try to show people that he’s good at what he’s doing, or make an artsy film, but instead tries everything he can to make a very interesting and fully investing story. 

Eggers also shows that not all great movies like “The Lighthouse” have to be perfect. There are some moments in this film that people might be scratching their heads about, but it’s the type of aspect in the movie that can give audiences the opportunity to figure out unanswered questions themselves.

“The Lighthouse” was without a doubt the most original and most entertaining film of the year. The acting was mesmerizing, the cinematography was beautiful, the screenplay was well-written and it was surprisingly funny. It’s a film that can entertain horror movie fans and film buffs alike.  Even though this film isn’t perfect for everyone, it will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. 

This is a satisfying film that audiences will want to watch over and over again. I’m going to give it a 10/10