Director Robert Eggers is the modern master of chilling period horror. With the first trailer for Eggers' next movie, “Werwulf,” debuting this week, it’s a reminder that nobody does folklore chillers quite like the New York-born director. From “The Lighthouse” to 2024’s “Nosferatu,” Eggers is one of the most exciting and acclaimed horror filmmakers of the past decade.
Cinephiles will know that Egger exploded onto the scene back in 2015 with “The Witch,” a movie that arguably remains his gold standard, and this genuinely unnerving folk horror just arrived on Netflix. With the hype surrounding “Werwulf” building, now is the time to watch (or rewatch) “The Witch,” particularly now it's on the world’s biggest streaming service.
In fact, the movie didn’t just introduce the world to Robert Eggers’ trademark style of authentic period production and deeply disturbing atmosphere; it also marked Anya Taylor-Joy’s film feature debut. If you can handle the chilling tension, uneasy sense of paranoia, and the dialogue, which is spoken in period-accurate English (prepare for lots of “thou’s” and “thee’s”), you’ll find few psychological movies more worthy of your time.
What is 'The Witch' about?
Set in 17th-century New England, “The Witch” centers on a settler family, led by father William (Ralph Ineson). Recently banished from their Puritan community over a religious dispute, they’ve now moved into the wilderness to build a home of their own next to a secluded forest.
However, when the family’s youngest son, Samuel, disappears, Thomasin (Taylor-Joy), the oldest daughter, is blamed, as she was supposed to be watching him at the time. With the family in turmoil and paranoia mounting, Thomasin is suspected of engaging in witchcraft.
As “The Witch” builds to its nerve-jangling finale, it explores themes of faith, love and family ties. But above it all is the alarming question of whether a sinister coven of witches is really terrorizing the family or not.
'The Witch' needs to be on your Netflix watchlist
“The Witch” is as authentic as it is deeply chilling. The period New England setting is brought to life on screen in a way that fully transports viewers to 1600s America. It’s a slow-burn horror, but rewards your patience as its central cast is put through the wringer. By the end, the family’s loving bond has dissolved, and each member’s faith in a higher power and each other has been deeply shaken.
It’s a movie that thrives on a phenomenal sense of atmosphere and mounting dread. It’s a horror that focuses on unease rather than resorting to cheap tricks like jump scares, and all the better for it. The performances are also exquisite. Anya Taylor-Joy’s star has risen considerably in the years since, but anybody who watched “The Witch” upon release in 2015 knew she was going places.
And I should tip my cap to Ineson and Kate Dickie as well. The latter plays the family's mom and features in a scene that genuinely made my skin itch.
I’m not the only person with plenty of praise for Egger’s directorial debut. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie scores an impressive 91%. The site’s consensus reads, “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.”However, the more mixed 61% audience score shows how it’s not for everybody.
Still, if the new “Werwulf” trailer has you hyped or you enjoyed Eggers’ spin on “Nosferatu” and haven’t seen “The Witch” yet, its recent arrival on Netflix should be your cue to get this absorbing but unquestionably bleak movie on your watchlist. It might be among the darkest movies I’ve ever watched, but it’s also one of the most meticulously crafted and memorable.
Watch "The Witch" on Netflix now
