The Wicker Man | 100 Movies Bucket List

 

Like a few movies on the bucket list this year I've seen the remake but not the original, so I was looking forward to this one!

I liked this film.

It's great when a mystery film can get the audience invested right from the beginning, and this film does it well. Not only are we interested in solving the mystery, but we're instantly as wary of the residents of the town as the Sergeant is.

One way I'd describe this film is 'odd'. It's a major plot point, every character acts a bit weird, the setting is a bit off, everything is off kilter. It straddles the line of being fantastical and grounded, and that makes it a really interesting watch.

I can't say this is the most entertaining movie. You're interested in the mystery, but from here, most of the film is about the town and seeing the odd way they live.

So after you get over the weirdness, your interest ebbs and flows. For me, I was still interested in solving the mystery, but the eerie nature of the town itself didn't grip me for as long as I wanted it to.

The horror elements of the film are really interesting. This isn't a film that relies on gore or jumps or monsters, but rather ideas and atmosphere. The audience are uneasy from the second the film starts and this doesn't even let up when the credits roll.

It's also disturbing in a less subtle way than you expect. The town isn't trying to hide what it is or what happens there. And as much as I thought things would be hidden after reading the description, everything is out in the open. And in a way I think that makes things even more disturbing, because these things are played as being normal and only the audience and the Sergeant are able to see anything wrong.

One of the things that stands out the most is the music. It's almost overpowering in every scene it's used in. Not only is it great because it's undeniably Scottish and adds to the atmosphere, but the jovial tone of the music mixed with the strange actions and eerie tone add to the horror and make things feel more scary than they would have otherwise!

But the best thing about the film is the ending, and the build-up to it. We don't really know where it's going but it takes a great unexpected, genuinely scary turn. We feel as trapped as the character is, and we feel the terror that he does.

Those last shots in particular are so iconic - the entire film is worth watching for the last scene alone! This is definitely a worthy bucket list pick.