Anya Taylor-Joy's career-defining breakout role in Robert Eggers' 2015 folk horror film, "The Witch," is set to leave Netflix on October 1. The film, which premiered over a decade ago, established Taylor-Joy as a rising star and introduced Eggers as a director with a distinctive cinematic voice.
"The Witch" tells the story of a devout Puritan family exiled from their religious community and forced to settle on the outskirts of the wilderness in 1630s New England. Their lives are soon consumed by fear, paranoia, and increasingly dire circumstances, amplified by the encroaching, unmapped woods.
The film is notable for its historical accuracy, with characters speaking in a dense, archaic English, and its deep immersion in the religious anxieties of the era. Despite the challenging language, the narrative centers on a family pushed to its breaking point. The disappearance of the family's infant son, Samuel, under the watch of their eldest daughter, Thomasin (Taylor-Joy), escalates the mounting tensions and blame within the household.
Thomasin becomes the family's scapegoat, blamed for Samuel's disappearance and facing accusations of witchcraft from her grieving mother and younger siblings. Her father, despite his outward piety, also fails to protect her. The film culminates in an iconic scene where Thomasin is tempted by the imposing goat, Black Phillip, with the chilling offer: "Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?" Her choice to sign his book and embrace the darkness has been interpreted as both a tragedy of succumbing to evil and a liberation from a restrictive, patriarchal society.
"The Witch" also served as a significant debut for director Robert Eggers, known for his atmospheric, meticulously detailed productions. His subsequent films, including "The Northman" and the upcoming "Nosferatu," have continued to explore historical myths and folklore with a unique vision. Eggers' next film, "Werwulf," is slated for release on December 25.
For those wishing to revisit Taylor-Joy's breakout performance or Eggers' chilling debut, "The Witch" is available to stream on Netflix until October 1.