There has been quite some attention for this film recently, but it already somewhat older. In any case: “The Lighthouse” is one of the too few unconventional films on Netflix.
With an aspect ratio of 1.19 : 1 the screen is almost square. The images look like worn Polaroid photos in (gritty) grey scales. Visually, the film is already unconventional.
We follow two men who are up for a four week shift to man a lighthouse on a remote island. Thomas Wake (William Dafoe) is a former seaman, now a rowdy lighthouse keeper. Thomas Howard (Robert Pattinson) is the newbie fleeing from his past. Wake, the rough main man, is a weird character.
Nothing much happens in the film. The two men try to get along, but their characters differ too much. Only alcohol seems to soften the tensions. Howard is not the first who slowly starts to loose his mind which gives Eggers the opportunity to make some nicely weird scenes. Largely the film has a bit of a nightmarish atmosphere.
Not a masterpiece, but something different for sure.
