The VVitch: A Spell-Binding Examination of a Family’s Breakdown
Contains spoilers!
Robert Eggers released The VVitch in 2015 as his directorial debut. If you had told me that Eggers had been releasing films for several years beforehand, I would’ve believed you. I truly believe this is one of the best horror films of the past 10 years. Each performance is captivating, and the cinematography draws the audience in with a powerful want to know what lurks deeper in the forest.
The films centers around a Puritan family that is exiled from their village. They set up home on the border of a forest and soon experience terrifying experiences, and the family slowly starts showing the cracks in its foundation.
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as main character Thomasin, the eldest daughter. After her infant brother is taken by an unseen individual, Thomasin quickly becomes suspect number one. Her parents, William and Catherine, consider giving her to another family, concerned of her supposed dark influence upon their son Caleb.
The situation worsens as Caleb disappears, only to reappear and die shortly after. This sends Catherine down the rabbit hole of insanity, accusing Thomasin of curing her brother. Thomasin denies this, claiming the deed is the work of a goat named Black Phillip, a disguise undertaken by Satan.
Things reach their climax when Black Phillip kills William and Catherine attacks Thomasin, who kills her in self-defense. Devastated and alone, Thomasin begs Black Phillip to speak with her, to which he obliges in a seductive voice one would suspect Satan would possess.
Ralph Ineson is William, Thomasin’s devoutly religious father. As things worsen, William relies on his faith to see him through, though this could be seen as his undoing. He relies on his faith to the point that it seems to overshadow his judgement; instead of listening to his daughter’s cries of innocence, William locks his remaining children in the goat house.
While the titular witch is seen throughout, she mainly serves as the catalyst of the film’s theme, the fracturing of the family unit and the finding of a new one, albeit one you may not expect. Thomasin strives to do her best to please her parents, but she, once again, becomes the primary suspect in the disappearance of her mother’s cup. Catherine voices her accusations to Thomasin and the rest of the family at dinner one evening, and it’s revealed that William stole the cup and sold it. Prior to this revelation, William is perfectly content with allowing Catherine to berate Thomasin for Caleb’s disappearance. It’s clear that William had no intention of revealing this deception to his wife, and this confession would’ve gone unannounced.
Thomasin also displays a strained relationship with her twin siblings, Jonah and Mercy. After Samuel’s disappearance, Jonah and Mercy accuse Thomasin of being the witch responsible. As a means of frightening and teasing her siblings, Thomasin accepts this accusation. This practical joke comes back to haunt Thomasin during Caleb’s last moments, as Jonah and Mercy accuse their elder sister of being responsible. It’s easily overlooked, during this that the twins have forgotten the words to their prayers, something Thomasin hasn’t. Could Jonah and Mercy be in cahoots with Black Philip? Though it’s never truly confirmed, I wouldn’t be surprised if he hadn’t spoken to the twins.
At the end of the film, Thomasin is the only surviving member of her family and convinces Black Phillip to speak with her., asking “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” The goat transforms into a man that makes her the newest member of his merry band of dark disciples. Thomasin agrees and follows Black Phillip through the woods, finding a coven of witches dancing around a bonfire. As she joins the, Thomasin finds herself rising into the air, symbolizing her rise into a new adopted family.
The film, set in the 1630s, goes to great lengths to do its due diligence of making the viewer believe that’s where its characters are. Costumes aside, each actor gives their 100% efforts into speaking in ye olde English, and I give Eggers credit for leaning into this English so hard. Without it, the film would lose its credibility. With it, it gains that much more an eerie vibe and forces the audience to pay attention as they decipher what’s being said. For example, a line of questioning of “Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?” in a voice as silky as Black Phillip’s might convince me to join up with an evil goat.
The film proves that Eggers is a master in the horror genre, further proven by his later films The Lighthouse and Nosferatu, the remake of the classic 1922 German film. Eggers’ career is one I’ll be watching with excitement, eager to be placed under the same spell that The VVitch placed on me upon seeing it in theaters.
Cast
Anya Taylor-Joy as Thomasin
Ralph Ineson as William
Harvey Scrimshaw as Caleb
Kate Dicke as Katherine
Ellie Grainger as Mercy
Lucas Dawson as Jonas
