An A24 Picture, Written by Robert Eggers, Max Eggers, Directed by Robert Eggers.
The Lighthouse is a truly singular piece of cinema, unlike anything I have seen before, and that is something I greatly respect and hope to see Hollywood continue to take these sorts of risks.
If you have seen his previous film ‘The Witch’ then you will know that Robert Eggers isn’t a man scared of taking risks, and he takes it to the next level here.
Robert Pattinson shows yet again what a powerful and truly odd character actor he can be, delivering an awards worthy performance that gets me even more excited for his upcoming role as Bruce Wayne.
Willem Dafoe has also sadly been overlooked for a lot of awards season but he matches Pattinson and gives a bonkers, terrifying, and often hilarious performance.
The story, which I will not give much away about, includes two men and their possible descent into madness, mixed with homoerotic tension, betrayal, potential supernatural and mythic forces, and just about anything else you can think of.
The film is shot on 35mm Black and White, and presented in the unique aspect ratio of 1.19:1, and all these things combine to create a truly unique viewing experience.
The cinematography is stunning (this is the only Oscar the film is nominated for) and I hope more films experiment in the way that The Lighthouse does.
The sound mix of the film is a real stand out and makes you feel like you are right there on the island with our characters, experiencing everything they did.
This undoubtedly will not be for everyone, and some people may truly hate this, but that’s what cinema is all about, taking risks and creating singular creative visions.
Hark!
Rating = 4/5
Howe's World of Film and TV 