content warning: cruelty to animals, nudity, sexual content, alcohol abuse, foul language, gore

The Lighthouse is a psychological horror film about two men tending to a lighthouse in the 1890s. The younger man wants to do everything by the rules. The older man is an experienced keeper who knows and understands the true dangers of the job.

Writer/director Robert Eggers (The Witch) and screenwriter Max Eggers craft an unexpected period horror film. In the world of The Lighthouse, you can do everything right and still face the consequences of a brutal and uncaring landscape. It really starts to feel like the workers in the lighthouse are in more danger than the sailors who rely on the lighthouse to navigate the water near the shore.

Cinematographer Jarin Blaschke earned an Academy nomination for his work on The Lighthouse. The film is shot in 1.19:1 aspect ratio, the same aspect ratio as the early days of cinema with sound. It’s meant to look like a period film, playing off of slice of life paintings of lighthouses and distant shores. It also creates an instant claustrophobic feel for a horror film trapped in a single location. The black bars confine us to the center of the screen, refusing to give us a break from the growing sense of dread about work and life at the lighthouse.

The Lighthouse is an oppressive horror film about isolation. The two men are alone, but they do not get along. The younger man tries to stand up for himself and fairly observe the duties of his job. The older man believes it’s his duty to break the young man’s spirit and make him an ideal worker. They have no mediator in their conflict and have to rely on each other.

The true metaphor of the film is the storm. The lighthouse exists to guide ships at sea when the weather limits visibility. The work is never easy as everything needs to be in perfect condition to survive a storm. When the weather does get bad, it’s harder than you could imagine. One of the few things the men can agree on is actually cooperating with each other when the weather is dangerous and their survival is at stake. Otherwise, they get along like a lost ship and a rugged shore.

The Lighthouse features some interesting supernatural elements. At first it’s the mere suggestion of something otherworldly. The water in the cistern is constantly turned no matter how much it’s cleaned. Seagulls block off important passageways for work to be done. A glimpse of the lighthouse at the right angle can seem like something else is moving in it. Every time they discuss a duty or a piece of folklore, more dangers emerge in plain sight.

The struggles of working at the remote post are hard enough to drive a person to drink. That is when The Lighthouse shows its true form. The older man always has a drink with his meal. The younger man refuses for weeks. He finally gives into temptation when a storm is coming in and they’re hoping the ship sent to relieve them of their post will make it in time. When it doesn’t, the alcohol becomes the force that drives their extended stay together. Their emotions and true thoughts rush out in waves as the winds and rains shake the keeper’s house.

The Lighthouse is a moody and expressive horror film. The goal is to make you question the reality of the story and it succeeds.

The Lighthouse is streaming on Amazon Prime.

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