The Wicker Man

The Wicker Man's influence cannot be denied. Its fingerprints lie in countless movies after. And yet, unlike the last movie I watched, Blade Runner, its values lay far deeper than merely the foundation for others to build upon. This is a film that holds up incredibly well, in every respect. Concise and tightly plotted, it does all it sets out to accomplish. The music is surreal, innocent with a killer edge. The ensemble cast perfectly unwavering, innocent and offputting all at once. The cinematography presents this world bluntly, without shame, only heightening its unsettling nature. All of these come together to create an atmosphere forever suspenseful, forever building, until it reaches the fever pitch of the climax. You feel the fear and unease of the protagonist in every moment as if you were there yourself. The final scene sends chills down my spine.

Particular attention must be given to Edward Woodward as Neil Howie and Christopher Lee as Lord Summerisle, of course. Perfect foils, they both make use of every second they're on screen. Woodward bleeds passion and conviction, especially in the ending. He is the perfect audience surrogate, surveying the setting with the same suspicion and discomfort, trying to piece it all together as we are. Where Woodward burns, Lee simmers, a quiet confidence but no less certain. That certainty of both Lee and the rest of the ensemble produces the unsettling effect of Howie almost feeling like the fanatic, especially as he becomes more and more determined and disdainful of them all. Is it only the fact that others share them that makes our beliefs feel so obvious, so natural? If we were dropped into a world were everyone around us believes so completely something radically different, would we feel as lost, as under siege, as doomed?

The Wicker Man has been oft duplicated, with works like Midsommar putting their own unique spin on similar premises, but it has never been replaced. It still burns bright today, forever reborn through its influences. As both a piece of film culture and as a standalone work, it can't be missed.

One of the best horror movies. Still holds up after many watches. The whole unsettling atmosphere of the movie is great. Not many horror movies can pull off the kinda vibe you get while watching this. Too many new horror films rely on jump scares or things in shadows. This film pulls the horror aspect of by being bizarre.

A heartwarming tale where a commune wins against a christofascist. No modern movie would let a cop get so consistently and hilariously outsmarted

Scottish cult makes sacrifices on an island. A British classic.

It's kind of hard not compare this movie with Midsommar, because they are similar, but I confess that The Wicker Man pleased me more, because it is more direct in the horror, but it also has a very interesting mystery. It delves a lot into the culture of that population and talks about the clash of Christianity against other religions, criticizing the religious intolerance and always building a good thriller with that.

The Wickerman is a horror classic. The atmosphere is wonderful and weird, and the acting, especially by Woodward and Lee, is great. Sergeant Howie thinks he knows what's happening on this island, but just like the viewer, he has no idea. When the truth is revealed, all of the pieces come together and leads to the ending which is one of the most shocking and memorable in horror movie history.

I don't even know where to begin—maybe with the fact that The Wicker Man is definitely one of those films where, as the credits roll, you just sit there thinking, "What the hell did I just watch?" And I mean that in the best possible way.

First: the music. Oh my God, the music. So seamlessly woven in, yet constantly present. Almost like a character in its own right. That folky cheerfulness, sometimes bordering on the absurd, collides with darker themes and creates an atmosphere that’s both strange and unsettling. I love when music becomes an integral part of the film—and here, it’s even part of the ritual itself. There were moments I wanted to hum along... and run for my life at the same time.

For me, the film also thrives on the character of the policeman. He’s so completely out of place on this island—rigid, devout, controlled—and utterly overwhelmed by the openness, hedonism, and bizarre customs of the locals. And yet, he never wavers. The conversations with Lord Summerisle are particular highlights—miniature masterpieces of religious debate. Two belief systems clashing, each dogmatic in its own way, each convinced of the other's absurdity. And somewhere in between, you're left wondering who—if anyone—might actually be right.

>„Oh, what is all this? I mean, you’ve got fake biology, fake religion… Sir, have these children never heard of Jesus?“

>„Himself the son of a virgin, impregnated, I believe, by a ghost.“

And then... that ending. Holy shit. I won’t spoil anything, but it's rare for a twist to land so perfectly and still leave such a bitter aftertaste. You know from early on that this won't end well—but the way it unravels still hits hard. Everything builds to that one moment where it all comes together—music, faith, madness, nature. And suddenly, it all makes perfect sense... and no sense at all.

The Wicker Man is hard to classify. Is it horror? A musical? A religious-philosophical parable with creepy pagan flair? Maybe all of the above. And maybe that’s exactly what makes it so brilliant. It lingers. In your mind. In your ears. And somewhere deep in your gut.

A mystery story that keeps up the suspense up to the big twist at the end. Great entertainment but not for the faint of heart.

Really delightfully bonkers. I would hesitate to call this truly “good,” even by horror movie standards (not to be a dick about it)–but there was certainly a quality to it that I really appreciated. Lots of fun, small details that create an atmosphere of mounting dread and was overall really engaging.