The Lighthouse (2019)

Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are unforgettable adversaries in this eerie, unnerving two-hander. Eggers conjures an oppressive and unpredictable atmosphere with captivating chiaroscuro-rich cinematography that remains horribly effective to the last.

Eggers delivers another deeply atmospheric concoction that creates mystery and unease through its boxy black-and-white frame, cacophonous soundscape and fruity period dialogue. The mismatched leads, especially Dafoe’s relish as the tyrannical old salt, make for a gripping, mirthful descent into madness.

Pattinson and Dafoe deliver astounding, career-highlight performances in this ferociously entertaining two-hander that lands with tremendous impact. It is an essential cinematic experience full of audacious energy and unforgettable imagery.

Pattinson and Dafoe mesmerize in Eggers' bleak, blisteringly funny descent into cabin-fever madness and psychological warfare.

Eggers proves The Witch was no fluke with an oppressively nightmarish two-hander that does for lighthouses what The Shining did for hotels. Dafoe and Pattinson dazzle in a claustrophobic, peerlessly atmospheric monochrome exercise in maritime madness.

The critic praises the film's intense performances and atmospheric dread but notes its repetitive descent into madness can feel exhausting.

Eggers’ dazzling, demented follow-up is a tall folk tale soaked in superstition, myth and striking imagery that explores masculinity, sexuality and shame through two actors at the top of their game. It is hypnotic, funny and unsettling in equal measure, if occasionally inaccessible.

The review frames the film as a pitch-black comedy of cabin fever and competitive machismo, highlighting the hoot-worthy performances by Pattinson and Dafoe in their war of wills. It finds the artisanal dread somewhat shtick-like with little room for escalation but calls it borderline brilliant as comedy.

Eggers delivers a mad, crammed whirlpool of oddities with strong monologues and performances, though the second half tilts into overwrought parody.

The film conjures strong mood and atmosphere but sacrifices coherent storyline for technical exercises and overwrought imagery. Dafoe is credible but Pattinson struggles, with lewd humour undermining deeper meaning.

The film is a visually striking but ultimately hollow exercise in style and male torment, with strong turns from its leads undermined by thin narrative.

The film is a pressure-cooker two-hander in which two mismatched lighthouse keepers drive each other mad in isolation. It is praised as a meticulously staged, stylistically bold piece of grand guignol with extraordinary performances from Dafoe and Pattinson.

Robert Eggers follows up The Witch with a tense, claustrophobic psychological thriller about two 19th-century lighthouse keepers. It provides a marvellous chamber-drama platform for Pattinson and Dafoe, with starkly compelling expressionist black-and-white photography.

The critic finds more texture than substance in this salty tale of two lighthouse keepers descending into cabin fever. He praises the salty dialogue, performances by Dafoe and Pattinson, and enveloping craft and atmosphere but notes the narrative sails a readily predictable course.

The critic commends Eggers for loosening veracity to allow absurdism and humor to emerge in this grotesque, hilarious genre pastiche, with strong performances from Dafoe and Pattinson driving the one-upmanship and psychological unraveling. It notes the self-aware pastiche succeeds without smugness or full parody, marking a breakthrough.

The critic praises the gripping performances by Dafoe and Pattinson along with the meticulous period detail and bracing originality of Eggers' claustrophobic second feature. It notes the film is a tad too drawn out for a single-setting two-hander but demands to be seen for its immersive world and transfixing descent into madness.

Dafoe and Pattinson dazzle in this stylish, unhinged horror about 19th-century lighthouse keepers, delivering mesmerising and sympathetic performances amid dreamlike symbolism and classical nods. It is disturbing yet rewarding and worth seeking out.

The piece highlights the film's even trippier elements compared to The Witch, focusing on Pattinson and Dafoe's descent into madness amid exhaustive period detail and unsettling imagery in a square aspect ratio. It emphasizes the weird, unsettling, and often hilarious moments like seagull violence and hallucinatory sequences.

The critic finds the film an acerbic, haunting tale of maritime madness and mayhem that is muddy, murky, melancholic, yet eminently hilarious and entertaining. Dafoe and Pattinson form a dream pair delivering gravitas and goofiness in a perverse, preposterous, brilliant work.

Describes it as an extraordinary and unsettling film that ranks among the most gripping horrors of recent years, praising the towering performances, dense literary script, and immersive blend of horror, dark comedy and psychological drama. Notes it re-writes the genre afresh.

The film is a wholly original masterwork that is both hilarious and creepy, blurring fable and reality in a way that illuminates the characters' fragility and terror. It singles out Eggers's inventive black-and-white filmmaking style and authentic period dialect for particular praise.

The critic praises the film's immersive black-and-white fever dream and the demented performances of Pattinson and Dafoe as two lighthouse keepers descending into madness. They single out the meticulous craft, period authenticity in dialogue, and the hypnotic, gaslighting effect on the audience.

Pete Hammond lauds Eggers as a master of mood and psychological horror, highlighting the gorgeous black-and-white cinematography and the full-throttle performances by Pattinson and Dafoe in this twisted two-hander about isolation and madness. He singles out the minimalist character study and the way it builds to a boiling point with help from production design and score.

Highlights the unforgettable performances by Pattinson and Dafoe as the film's standout element in this two-hander about isolation and madness. Calls it a unique, captivating experience with striking black-and-white visuals, though notes some slow pacing in the first half.

The critic finds it a challenging but enthralling character study, praising the performances of Dafoe and Pattinson along with the gloomy atmosphere and visual style. Notes that it is more indulgent and ambiguous than Eggers' previous film The Witch and may not appeal to all audiences.