BY JACK RANSOM APRIL 29, 2024
Folk/witchcraft inflicted horror always intrigues me and has delivered several features, that whilst varying in quality, always manage to be unique in their presentation and atmosphere. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for Witch, the new release from cult film distributor 101 Films, who unleash a truly cursed, boring, convoluted and consistently un-immersive slog that once again reaffirms that you should not judge a film by the poster.
SYNOPSIS
The year is 1575 and William embarks on a journey to prove the innocence of his wife, Twyla, who is falsely accused of being a witch and will be put to death if found guilty. William must hunt down the real witch, to save Twyla from death.
REVIEW
Irritatingly I was led to believe this was only 80 minutes (thanks Letterboxd), when in fact it is just under 105. After about 30 minutes the tedium kicked in and the poorly paced slog trundled along until its conclusion. Structurally and pacing wise the film fails, with excruciating expository dumps (about 30 minutes of the film takes place sat by a tree in the forest) and repetitive, confusing, overstretched lacklustre genre tropes that offer no tension whatsoever.
There are a couple of nicely composed shots and I have to commend the filmmakers for utilising the incredibly low budget to its maximum, with some decently gory practical effects. That being said, I did not once feel immersed in this era and world at all. The cast all feel and look like they absolutely know what an iPhone is and their dialogue is bizarrely delivered, with the cast frequently feeling like NPC’s in a low budget fantasy video game.
A snooze-inducing waste of time that squanders a solid potential. The smattering of solid shots and competent direction aside Witch has nothing to offer horror fans. It’s painfully dull and devoid of any fear or tension and features dodgy performances and dialogue aplenty.
STAR RATING
Witch is out now on digital platforms