THE WITCH (2015) (4K Ultra HD Review)
THE WITCH (2015)
Label: Lionsgate
Region Code: A
Rating: R
Duration: 92 Minutes
Video: Dolby Vision, 2160p Ultra HD, 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Robert Eggers
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Katie Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger, Lucas Dawson
Set in New England in the year 1630 folk-horror The Witch (2015) opens with English settlers William (Ralph Ineson, From Hell) and his wife Katherine (Kate Dickie, Prometheus), along with their elder daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy, Thoroughbreds), son Caleb (Harvey Scrimshaw) and fraternal twins Mercy (Ellie Grainger) and Jonas (Lucas Dawson), being ordered to leave a Puritan settlement for vague reasons. The family find a dreary plot of land near the edge of a dark forest and begin life anew, but William's hand at hunting and farming are unskilled, and with winter approaching and supplies dwindling things are looking grim for the family.
In the time since their banishment from the colony Katherine has given birth to another child, the infant son named Samuel, but one day while Thomasin is caring for the child it disappears near the edge of the woods, never to be seen again. The question lingers about what has become of the child, was it a wolf that snatched it or could it possibly have been a witch of woods, and Thomasin's innocence in the matter is up for debate in the eyes of her mother. We as viewers are privy to the gruesome sight of a witch murdering the child and grinding it's body the way you'd smash an avocado, grinding the infant's corpse into a bloody pulp and smearing it across her naked body in some sort of black magic ritual.
Things deteriorate from here for the family, with Thomasin's younger, and often irritating, fraternal twin siblings regularly taunting her, inspiring the older sibling to lash out at them, saying that she is in fact the witch of the woods, and that it was her who took the infant, and that if they do not listen to her she kill them as well, with those words said in malicious jest coming back to haunt her not long after.
Later while Thomasin and her brother Caleb are travelling through the woods they become separated when Thomasin is thrown from her horse, with Jacob losing his way in the woods where he discovers the family dog disemboweled body, and later being seduced by the witch of the woods. He returns home the next day naked and afraid, lost in a delirium, speaking of witches and being cursed, it's a harrowing bit of drama as he calls out for his savior before dying, a very strong performance from the young actor.
At this point the twins advise the parents that Thomasin revealed herself to be a witch, while she herself returns the accusation by revealing that the twins have been carrying on curious conversations with a horned goat named Black Philip! From here the film spirals into a proper bit of witchy madness, left me enthralled and highly satisfied.
The film gives off a sense of dread from the first frame to the last, the drab rural setting is nightmare fuel all on it's own, accentuated by a thrumming atonal score that gets right under the skin. The puritanical beliefs of the mother and father are suffocating, and the threat of witchcraft only serves to undermine the families bond, ostracizing their teen daughter who clearly craves the love of her mother, but it never appears. As the film plays out the family unit begins to unravel, descending into madness under the influence of witchery, with some great devilish imagery and brooding atmosphere throughout.
Audio/Video: The Witch (2015) arrives on 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate looking solid, but not stunning. Presented in 2160p Ultra HD and framed in 1.66:1 widescreen, the desaturated stylings of the film give it a bit of a monochromatic look, with lots of Earthy shadings by way of cold, gray looking exteriors and light brown candlelit interiors, it's not the sort of color scheme that screams 4K upgrade. The uptick in resolution is not significant to my eyes, but there are color gradings that are enhanced by the Dolby Vision by way of tans and browns, with the occasional red flourish, that appear slightly elevated over the Blu-ray. I don't think this is a film that will have a lot of wow-factor with the 4K presentation compared to the previous Blu-ray, making it not so much an essential upgrade, but if you're 4K enabled and don't already own the Blu-ray I would absolutely lean towards the 4K purchase. The screenshots used in this review are sourced from the Blu-ray, not the 4K.
Lionsgate forgo a Dolby Atoms in favor of the existing 5.1 DTS-HD MA that appeared on the Blu-ray with optional English subtitles. As it is it's a strong and immersive experience with good creepy use of the surrounds, the thrumming score and sounds of creepy wooded environments have a strong impact upon the viewing experience. The dialogue is crisp and clean throughout, though because of the thick English accents throughout I was thankful for the subtitles.
Extras are ported over from the existing Blu-ray, this includes an audio commentary with the director, an 8-min EPK-style featurette, a design gallery, plus a 28-min Q&A with the director, star Anya Taylor-Joy and others, with everyone really getting into the authenticity of the film and it's setting.
The 2-disc Blu-ray/4K dual-format release comes housed in a black Blu-ray keepcase with a one-sided sleeve of artwork featuring Black Philip, which is also featured on the slipcover and the 4K disc itself. Inside you will find a digital redemption code for the film.
Special Features:
- The Witch: A Primal Folklore (8 min)
- Salem Panel Q&A (28 min)
- Design Gallery
- Audio Commentary with Director Robert Eggers
The Witch (2015) certainly cast a spell on me, an engrossing tale of black magic with an ominous vibe that got right under my skin. It's a bit of a slow-burn but once this eerie arthouse cauldron of folk horror gets to simmering you'll be in too deep to escape it. Lionsgate's release offers a solid 4K presentation, while it's not a stunner of an upgrade over the Blu-ray, particularity considering there's no Dolby Atmos audio, the film is absolutely worth owning, and if you don't already own it on Blu-ray this 4K Ultra HD+Blu-ray+Digital release can be picked-up for under $20 right now on Amazon.
