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The waves crash, the birds scream, and the rain pours down. “The Lighthouse,” a novel by Robert Eggers, is out to make you a little insane. It’s not just a film about two people on the verge of losing their minds; it employs sound design and filmmaking techniques to push you over the edge as well. Watching it gives the impression of being in the middle of someone else’s nightmare, and it’s not going to end well. While it is ultimately a little too self-conscious to elicit the existential dread and genuine terror that the best films of this genre are capable of eliciting, it is still an impressive achievement thanks to Eggers’ fearlessness and a pair of completely committed performances.
From the very first gloomy frame of “The Lighthouse,” Thomas and Ephraim’s lives seem bleak to them. And by gloomy, I mean it. A movie that will be labeled as “black and white” but would be more accurately described as “gray” will be released. When watching a film that appears to be shot on an overcast evening even during the day, there are few distinct blacks or whites to be found. The film begins with the two main characters, played by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, arriving at a lighthouse on the edge of the world to begin their shift. Thomas, played by Willem Dafoe, is the more experienced of the two and the operation’s leader. He gives orders to Pattinson’s Ephraim, ensuring that he completes all of the daily tasks such as cleaning and repairing, while constantly reminding him of who is in charge of the household. When Thomas isn’t telling a long-winded story or farting, he refers to Ephraim with diminutive terms such as “lad” and orders him around.
While working all day, Ephraim develops a rivalry with a seagull and is forced to listen to Thomas’ tall tales over dinner before his boss is allowed to enter the light that Ephraim has been denied. Along with becoming obsessed with what exactly happens at the top of the lighthouse, he begins to have increasingly terrifying visions in between bouts of self-gratification and back-breaking labor, which he tries to rationalize away. This is a film that, from its very first frame, is already in experimental territory. As the film progresses, the surreal elements become more prominent, leading us to wonder which of these characters will go insane first and what the ramifications will be. As the title suggests, “The Lighthouse” has the feel of a slow-motion car crash, from which you know there will be no survivors. This is not a buddy movie, but rather one that serves as a reminder that being stuck with someone you despise is one of the most terrifying things that can happen.
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Dafoe plays what at times feels like a salty dog caricature—if they ever make a live-action “Simpsons” movie, he’d be the perfect choice to play the Sea Captain—but it’s an engrossing performance all the way through. As the more experienced of the two, Dafoe’s Thomas is given the opportunity to be tantalizingly vague for a while, as we’re not sure whether he’s simply a jerk or someone who is actively attempting to destroy the person who is making him beans. He’s both hysterical and irritating at the same time.
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And Pattinson is even more impressive. This may be his best performance in a long line of daring performances in recent years (e.g., “The Lost City of Z,” “High Life”). He instills Ephraim with a sense of desperation, the reasons for which are revealed later, which only adds to the tragedy of his predicament. He doesn’t just need to survive; he also requires this job in order to climb out of the hole that has been dug for him by life. He is in desperate need of light. He is in desperate need of success. Pattinson puts his whole heart and soul into the role, and it’s a pleasure to watch.
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Despite the fact that Pattinson, Dafoe, and an enraged seagull are the film’s main characters, “The Lighthouse” is a film that constantly draws attention to the decisions made by its director and creative team. Starting with the decision to shoot it in a grayscale 4:3 aspect ratio to heighten the sense of claustrophobia and continuing with the nonstop cacophony of noise—it feels as if if they don’t kill each other, the waves or storm will—”The Lighthouse” is a sensory assault. This is a film that is easy to admire, both in terms of its ambition and execution. But there’s a creeping sense that it doesn’t really amount to much more than a self-aware poke in the eye, and the film doesn’t quite land on its feet enough to dispel that sense of futility. Certainly, that kind of experimental provocation can be entertaining in its own twisted way, but it feels like a missed opportunity to be something more than just “fun.” With its incredible level of detail, “The Witch” transported us back to the time period in which it was set and made the horror it depicted tangible. There’s nothing tangible about this place. Even if you try to grasp “The Lighthouse,” it slips through your fingers and disappears.
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Unless, of course, that is the point. Perhaps this is just Eggers’ existential version of a salty dog tale told on the high seas—the urban legend of a couple of guys stranded on a lighthouse who drove each other insane by driving each other insane. Anyone who seeks anything more than that does so at their own peril and risk. Take care not to crash into the rocky outcroppings.
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This review was submitted on September 6th, following the conclusion of the Toronto International Film Festival.
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