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The Lighthouse
2019 109 min Brazil, United States of America R 18+
★8.0
Drama, Fantasy, Thriller
Director: Robert Eggers
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Description
Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.
Budget:
$11M
US Gross:
$10.87M
Worldwide:
$18.26M
Starring
Robert Pattinson
Actor
Willem Dafoe
Actor
Valeriia Karaman
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2019
— FIPRESCI Prize – Directors' Fortnight
Academy Awards 2020
— Best Cinematography
BAFTA 2020
— Best Cinematography
Key opinion
The Lighthouse is widely lauded as a technically masterful and atmospheric piece of arthouse cinema, anchored by powerhouse performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. While critics praise its commitment to surrealism and period-accurate aesthetic, some viewers find its abstract, riddle-like narrative and slow-burn pacing to be alienating or pretentious.
| Acting | Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson deliver exceptional, career-defining performances that effectively carry the film's intense, two-hander dynamic. | |
| Cinematography | The black-and-white cinematography and 4:3 aspect ratio successfully create a claustrophobic, period-authentic atmosphere that immerses the viewer. | |
| Score | The sound design and score are masterfully crafted, utilizing environmental noise to build psychological tension. | |
| Screenplay | The film's heavy use of opaque metaphors and cryptic symbolism rewards those seeking deep interpretation, while others find the narrative intentionally obscure and lacking a cohesive message. | |
| Pacing | The contemplative, slow-burn tempo creates a unique sense of dread for engaged viewers, but strikes others as aimless and lacking in logical progression. |