Style: Drama
Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson
Operating Time: 109 minutes
Synopsis: In New England of the 1800s, Thomas and Ephraim (Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson) arrive at a rocky outcrop to function and keep a lighthouse for a 4 week stint. The grizzled and extra senior Thomas cares for the lighthouse lamp and orders Ephraim to do all of the soiled and menial duties. After encountering disturbing visions of a mermaid and hostile seagulls, Ephraim begins to lose his thoughts. When a storm strikes in and prevents the 2 males from returning to shore, full-fledged alcohol-fueled insanity units in.
What Works Nicely: The black and white cinematography combines with stormy skies, raging oceans, and that incessant foghorn to create a threatening aesthetic. Each Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson throw themselves into their roles, pushing theatricality in the direction of the madness of isolation, disoriented masculinity, sexual frustration, and the risks of extreme energy imbalance.
What Does Not Work As Nicely: Whereas undoubtedly creative, the absence of plot leads to a tedious two-character drama, and the slippage in the direction of derangement opens the door to a mishmash of anything-goes themes and pictures. With loads of verbose and bombastic inspiration drawn from Greek and different mythology, the fabric could also be higher suited to a stage present.
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