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The Witch

Play trailer 2:31 Poster for The Witch R 2016 1h 32m Horror History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
91% Tomatometer 338 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin, the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy and Jonas suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.
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The Witch

The Witch

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Critics Consensus

As thought-provoking as it is visually compelling, The Witch delivers a deeply unsettling exercise in slow-building horror that suggests great things for debuting writer-director Robert Eggers.

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Critics Reviews

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Britt Ashley Bitch Media 02/10/2021
Like any good horror film, The Witch is rife with opportunity for allegorical interpretation, and one of the most compelling narratives bubbling beneath surface is the origin story of America itself. Go to Full Review
Steven D. Greydanus Catholic Digest 04/28/2017
A
The stakes are real. The Devil is real. All roads do not lead up the mountain. Some lead to the heart of darkness, to the depths of a witch-haunted wood. Go to Full Review
Nigel Andrews Financial Times 12/27/2016
2/5
The film starts with wordy wittering and ends by trying to woo our shrieks -- from Arthur Miller to Dennis Wheatley in the shortest time possible between two blunt points. Go to Full Review
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast Feb 23
5/5
Haunting, dread-inducing and horrifying, The Witch is an audacious debut for writer/director Robert Eggers. Go to Full Review
Kyle Logan Cultured Vultures Feb 19
A modern classic Go to Full Review
Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast Feb 18
4/5
Robert Eggers' dedication to period accuracy is perfectly matched by spot-on performances in a slow burning chiller focused on the religious hysteria surrounding female power Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Sergio Oct 20 Brilliant film. Must watch on the big screen. See more Tyler E @Lordy100639 2d I saw this movie in an empty theater by myself in 2015 and it changed my life.... See more Shadow R @GeminiShadowRealm 5d The movie does a fantastic job showing how easy it was to let religious paranoia take over, to the point where you can totally see how someone could be easily accused of being a witch by their own family just because bad things are happening. The issue for me is that the movie is incredibly slow. Long stretches of time pass where it feels like nothing is really moving the plot forward, and the slow burn format started to feel more like a drag. Ultimately, though, my main issue comes down to personal taste. I'm just not really into movies about religious cults, heavy religious themes, or folklore. Because the entire plot relies so heavily on old-school folk horror and religious hysteria, I found myself disconnected from the story. If you love folklore, religious horror, and slow-burning tension, you’ll probably appreciate this way more than I did. But if those themes aren't your thing, the great acting and moody atmosphere won't be enough to save you from a pretty slow 90 minutes. See more Nareena G @nareena Jun 26 Genuinley what was this movie it’s listed as “horror” but I wasn’t scared at all the ending was mid and so predictable all of it was mid the actors did the best they could with the shit roles they were given and the plot had so much potential i don’t know what went wrong See more Chris S @Janomi Jun 26 The Witch is one of the most distinctive films of the 21st Century. Robert Eggers' directorial debut immediately established him as a filmmaker with a unique voice. His attention to historical detail, restrained storytelling, and beautifully composed imagery create an atmosphere that's both immersive and deeply unsettling. Beneath the supernatural horror is a thoughtful story about fear, faith, guilt, and a family slowly tearing itself apart. Anya Taylor-Joy gives a haunting breakout performance as Thomasin, while Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie bring remarkable authenticity to the family's growing desperation. The deliberate pacing and period-accurate dialogue won't appeal to everyone, especially viewers expecting a more conventional horror film. For those willing to embrace its slower approach, however, The Witch delivers an unforgettable atmosphere and one of the strongest directorial debuts in recent memory. See more Garcia Cabrera L @Fertheaficionado Jun 24 Una pelicula de terror increíble que te tendrá atrapado de principio a fin, un terror primal traído por lo desconocido y la superstición del ocultismo, simplemente sublime. See more Read all reviews
The Witch

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The Witch

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly vanishes. The family blames Thomasin, the oldest daughter who was watching the boy at the time of his disappearance. With suspicion and paranoia mounting, twin siblings Mercy and Jonas suspect Thomasin of witchcraft, testing the clan's faith, loyalty and love to one another.
Director
Robert Eggers
Producer
Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Jodi Redmond, Daniel Bekerman, Rodrigo Teixeira
Screenwriter
Robert Eggers
Distributor
A24
Production Co
Parts and Labor
Rating
R (Graphic Nudity|Disturbing Violent Content)
Genre
Horror, History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 19, 2016, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Apr 1, 2016
Release Date (Streaming)
May 17, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$25.1M
Runtime
1h 32m