The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse is a moody story. I think that the choice to shoot in b&w with a square-like aspect ratio enhances this claustrophobia, with the visual constraints basically mirroring the character's mental & physical confinement on the island. The visions you see time to time also just make the film so much cooler. Possessed seagulls. Krakens. Seductive mermaids. These are all just figures for mental deterioration that is slowly eroding Winslow's grip on reality. The performances from Pattinson and Defoe, who are both one of my favourite actors, definitely makes it more impactful. Honestly couldn't imagine anyone else in their roles. From Defoe’s deranged monologues to Pattinson’s descent into mania, their commitment elevates the surreal tone that The Lighthouse has, grounding its abstract horrors in raw emotion. Finally the symbolism is one thing I cannot forget to mention. The lighthouse it self represents the "self" and the "godhead", which both characters are drawn to in different ways. You see Wake obsessively guarding it as if it it grants some type of divine authority. While on the other hand, Winslow is seeking it as a path to truth, which ultimately leads to his downfall, mimicking the myth of Prometheus stealing fire from the gods. This layered symbolism adds a weight to their descent into madness, by transforming the lighthouse into more than just a setting. It is a manifestation of desire, power ad existential longing. This is why I think that The Lighthouse is one Eggers' more thematically ambitious and psychologically more rich projects, blending myth, madness, and metaphor into a haunting vision that lingers in the mind after the final frame, and making it my current personal favourite film of his.