It doesn’t matter if it’s a movie, a book, or a game: when I finish a work of art, I want to have a hard time letting it go. When I finished Bioshock Infinite, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The first time I read East of Eden, I wanted to start it all over again right then and there. Plenty of movies have made me feel this way as well. I think after only one viewing I can add The Lighthouse to that list as well.

Robert Eggers directs this film, written by he and his brother, starring Robert Pattinson and Willem DaFoe. The film takes place at a 19th century lighthouse, in which DaFoe is the keeper. His new assistant, Pattinson, arrives ready to leave an old string of mindless jobs behind him for something more meaningful. As the two begin to work together, a struggle emerges inside Pattinson that is sure to change both men for the rest of their lives.

“Ye Spilled Yer Beans” – Dialogue and Writing in The Lighthouse

Eggers is a master of dialogue and dialect. In his debut film, The VVitch, the Puritan vocabulary feels familiar and recognizable. Nobody talks like humans did in the 16th century anymore, but Eggers studies his time periods like a feverish historian. It’s worth it. During the most dire scenes of The VVitch, as well as The Lighthouse, everything feels intensified by the spot-on verbiage and dialect of the main characters. The most frightening moments of The Lighthouse make you question everything you’re watching, and even reminding yourself it’s just a film can’t calm the unsettling feeling you come to crave.

Why does this film feel so captivating? For one, the moments where you learn more about the characters come seemingly from nowhere. As you watch these scenes play out, there is a lot that happens without any words being spoken. Pattinson’s laboring supercuts to scenes of DaFoe standing in the lighthouse in a trance-like state raise a lot of questions. To be honest, if you’re looking for answers in The Lighthouse, you might want to watch another film. The allegories tying the movie to everything from Greek mythology to seafaring tall tales are mysterious without any indication of relief.

The Supernatural Side of The Lighthouse

It’s not entirely safe to say what’s happening on this rock. We see things from Pattinson’s point of view the entire movie, except for three key scenes. Because of this, he’s our most trusted source of reality inside the film, and we’re watching him go insane. He doesn’t know how long he’s truly been at his post. He also slowly starts to bring up things from his past, despite warnings from DaFoe not to “spill his beans.” We’re not sure what we’re seeing in dreamscapes of tentacled creatures, mermaids, and other horrific scenes, but we know they’re tied to something central to Pattinson’s past and character.

In scenes where Pattinson masturbates, or when Dafoe is inebriated, we see man at its most vulnerable. This is also when we start to see visions of Lovecraftian horrors. The film itself is a wonderful story worthy of attention from Lovecraft fans. There’s no real attempt to explain the things happening, but they still play an important role in the lives of the characters. For that reason, they feel purposeful, and are not simply some attempt to make the film edgy or complicated.

Final Takeaways

It’s tough writing a review for something you don’t want to spoil. In the future, I might even write up a theory article where I explain a few of my opinions on what I saw. For now, let’s just leave it at this: Pattinson and Dafoe are at their best in this film, and that’s saying something for the latter. Eggers once again proves why in just two theatrical films he’s established himself as a master of the craft. The black and white coloring, on top of the Maine accents and Lovecraftian horrors taking place at this lighthouse are mesmerizing. I already can’t wait to watch it again, and if you love subtle horror, overwhelming imagery, and thick layers of multipurpose themes, I’d invite you to join me in seeing this wonderful work.

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The Lighthouse

0.00

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Incredible performances from the two actors
• Horror without being inherently scary, and totally gripping
• Mysteries worth revisiting in multiple re-watches
• Something you won't forget any time after watching it

Cons

• No answers to the things we see play out, but that's not surprising