Overview
Two men trapped in a lighthouse confront their darkest fears and each other in a harrowing tale of madness.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- claustrophobic
- eerie
- late night viewing
- stormy evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the gripping, expertly crafted atmosphere, screenplay, cinematography, and powerhouse performances by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, while finding its deliberate ambiguity and suspense divisive for some viewers.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The lighthouse island becomes a wall-less prison where the two keepers endure storms, hunger, resentment, and hallucinations.
Mermaid imagery, ominous omens, and booze-addled visions make the supernatural status of events persistently uncertain.
The black-and-white presentation and nearly square aspect ratio make the volcanic island and lighthouse feel stark, compressed, and inescapable.
Thomas Howard and Thomas Wake clash over rank, labor, secrets, alcohol, and control of the beacon.
Films like The Lighthouse, and why
The Witch
shares claustrophobic psychological horror, ritualized period setting, unreliable perception, and escalating isolation
Dead Man
shares maritime isolation, surreal symbolism, black-and-white austerity, and a descent into madness
The Shining
shares mythic psychological horror, oppressive confinement, obsessive male conflict, and ambiguous reality
The Servant
shares theatrical two-hander structure, corrosive power struggles, and darkly comic verbal hostility
Movie Details
- Director
- Robert Eggers
- Release Date
- 2019-10-18
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (5806)
Cast
- Robert Pattinson
- Willem Dafoe
- Valeriia Karaman
- Logan Hawkes
- Kyla Nicolle
- Shaun Clarke
- Pierre Richard
- Preston Hudson
- Jeff Cruts
- Sully Seagull
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Lighthouse about?
- Two lighthouse keepers stranded by a merciless storm descend into a hallucinatory duel of authority, guilt, and isolation.
- What is The Lighthouse like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Lighthouse as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Lighthouse violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Lighthouse as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Lighthouse?
- Critics broadly praised the gripping, expertly crafted atmosphere, screenplay, cinematography, and powerhouse performances by Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, while finding its deliberate ambiguity and suspense divisive for some viewers.
- Which films are like The Lighthouse?
- Films with a similar feel include The Witch, Dead Man, The Shining, and The Servant.
- How long is The Lighthouse?
- The Lighthouse runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Lighthouse?
- In United States, The Lighthouse streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
