The lighthouse review

 

The Lighthouse: A dazzling film noir for the modern age. 

 The concept of A24’s recent production seems bleak: two lighthouse keepers stranded in a turret with nothing to entertain themselves but each other, drinking a revolting concoction of turpentine and honey and the atmospheric tumult which surrounds them. Yet director Robert Egger’s stylistic flair and Pattison’s and Dafoe’s stellar performances make this the most captivating film noir of this century.

Set in the late 19th century on a remote island off the shores of  New England, Robert Pattinson, who plays the character ‘Winslow’ is employed on a temporary basis to help complete various arduous tasks at the lighthouse such as hauling heavy containers around, abseiling the walls of the lighthouse to paint it and emptying chamber pots. Understandably, Winslow begins to find the workload increasingly strenuous and with only the abrasive and demanding Thomas Wake, played by Willem Dafoe, for company, we watch Winslow and his impeccable moustache descend into insanity. 

The chemistry between these two actors is truly enthralling to watch as their relationship is thrown into constant upheaval. These two rugged lighthouse keepers go from a drunken fraternity to sworn enemies. The viewer is left unsuspecting to where the pair will stand next. You can see through Egger's writing that he uses this unusual relationship to explore identity, power struggles, masculinity and the consequences of isolation. Their perpetually shifting dynamic is carefully crafted by the screenplay which contains the perfect balance of off-kilter humour and the disturbing descent into madness. There is something both harrowing and hilarious about watching Dafoe scream in a coarse New English accent “ye fond of me lobster aren’t ye Winslow?” as Winslow sits in a drunken heap in the corner shaking his head. Wake then erupts into a grave monologue detailing how Winslow’s organs will be devoured by the ruler of the seas. To this Winslow simply replies: “Alright have it your way. I like your cooking.”

 These roles would have been very difficult to perfect; learning a nearly obsolete maritime accent and jumping between one emotion to another quickly while making it seem organic would make most actors' lives very difficult. However, Pattinson and Dafoe seem to have taken the roles in their stride by delivering some sensational performances. This could be Pattinson’s best appearance yet as we watch Winslow drinking himself into oblivion, drunkenly singing and dancing, exploding into an uncontrolled rage, getting into violent altercations with his colleague, hallucinating mermaids and being hunted down by seagulls.

Egger’s complete construction of this film is deliberately ambiguous and uncanny. Everything from the strange dialect which sounds like it could be an amalgamation of Irish, west country and southern united states American to the question of if these events are real or imaginary is left up to the viewer’s interpretation. If anything, Egger’s practice of obfuscation puts the viewer in the shoes of the character’s where the lighthouse keepers become more and more frustrated and confused to the point where they end up at war with each other and their environment. Even the genre of the film is left undefined as it transcends the walls of traditional horror, removed from cheap jumpscares and predictable murder and chase plots. It contains elements of black comedy and psychological thriller yet refuses to be pigeonholed, morphing into something that is unique, unconventional, new and individual. 

The gothic melancholy inspired by the works of Edgar Allen Poe is perfectly captured by the cinematography in which the wide austere shots are complemented by the ambitious use of black and white - reminiscent of old fashioned photography. Thought is even put into the aspect ratio which is much narrower than traditional film and is meant to serve as a callback to when the widescreen film was yet to be invented. Eggers does this to withhold information as we as the audience are quite literally not getting the full picture. In this way, Eggers visually encapsulates the claustrophobic and mania-inducing environment where the viewer can easily imagine themself becoming insane in these harsh conditions. Although many of us have not experienced the sheer unbridled insanity depicted in the Lighthouse, most in recent times can relate to the frustration involved in being trapped in an isolated environment with no clear indication as to when it would end. This could be one of the reasons why this film is so successful. For even our lives pre-pandemic, the Lighthouse captivates what it is like to be trapped in the relentless, infuriating cycle of the monotonous working world despite it being set more than 100 years ago.

The end to this film is as violent and gruesome as the viewer would have most likely anticipated. Yet the artistry of the filmmaking and the expertise of the performances makes the climatic end riveting to watch. This movie is dark, exciting, painful, funny and made with an abundance of care and skill. Director Robert Eggers has made his definitive mark in the film world and I am excited to see what he ends up doing next. I would say that the Lighthouse is certainly not for everyone. At its heart, it is a perplexing exploration into the twisted minds of these men who are met with a ghastly end. However, if you would like to see a bearded Willem Dafoe and a moustached Robert Pattinson fight it out on a desolate island amidst a raging storm then I would definitely recommend this movie to you, especially to those who have a burgeoning hatred for seagulls.