Film “The Witch” is what nightmares are made of

This isn’t your typical clichéd horror movie that relies on jump scares and loud noises to keep you scared. Truly disturbing, “The Witch” is what nightmares are made of.

“The Witch” tells the story of a 17th-century Puritan family trying to make a new life for themselves in a remote wooded area of New England after being cast out of their community. Little do they know, these woods are haunted by a sinister presence that will stop at nothing to tear their family apart.

“The Witch” shines in its ability to create an impending sense of doom. Instead of quick bursts of adrenaline typically found in horror movies, “The Witch” shows expert use of suspense, creating a dreadful and uneasy feeling. “The Witch” relies more on good production than special effects and cheap scares.

The film boasts solid cinematography that emphasizes the forest’s natural creepiness. You feel like you’re there, alone in the woods.

The plot is engaging and entirely unpredictable.The actors’ performances are emotionally charged and convincing, down to the difficult to imitate Puritan accent.

But “The Witch” isn’t the movie for everybody. For those who are looking for a slasher flick or an adrenaline-filled movie, you won’t find it in this film. The slow pace might justify classifying it as a thriller or a drama instead of a horror movie.

The movie might seem strange or out of context to people who don’t have any background knowledge about Puritan history or the Salem Witch Trials and the accents can be hard to understand at times.

If you can get over those barriers, “The Witch” is a winner of a film. Just don’t plan on having sweet dreams.