Yes, the whole movie, I felt tense and on edge, and its haunting moments and imagery stuck in my head long after the credits. It's rare for a movie to be able to worm its way on my skin.
The character drama is a byproduct of the horror, not something apart from it. The witch's influence is what destroys the family, or at least hastens their destruction. The family crumbling is one and the same with the movie's tension and atmosphere
Of course, I get all that. I just don't think it came across well. Someone hinted at the accent and dialogue; maybe they are on to something there. Many times I felt that the drama was overwrought and forced, which made the few instances of supernatural chaos more silly than terrifying as a result. That's not fair to the movie maybe, since it was going for the authenticity of that time period, but I found it hard to overlook. The crazy thing is I felt the performances of the actors was great. I don't know; this movie just left me with a weird feeling about it.
Viewers like you are the reason we have so many forgettable films filled with clumsy exposition. Stories are better when they don't show and tell you everything. The way to make a world come alive beyond the screen or page is to leave room for the audience to imagine and speculate.
The ending is very chilling already, just psychologically.
Depends on your definition of scary is, what kind of horror you enjoy. This isn't a movie that wants to startle you in your seat, but establish a sense of slow-burn dread and creeping unease through its atmosphere, cinematography and imagery, quiet implications, and dramatic moments.
That's a good way to put it. It doesn't scare you, it makes you scared for the characters.
Yes. And on top of the movie's obvious qualities (the pacing, cinematography, actors and music were all fantastic), I really liked that it doesn't follow a lot of the usual and generic rules of horror films.
