Want more recommendations for your family?
Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration
The Lighthouse
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Disturbing black-and-white horror has drinking, violence.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Lighthouse
Community Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE LIGHTHOUSE, Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) arrives for work as an assistant lighthouse keeper, working under salty old seaman Thomas Wake (Willem Dafoe). It's the 1890s, the work is hard, and the weather is wet and gray. Wake treats Winslow without mercy during the day, but at night, he talks to and tries to ply him with liquor, to loosen him up. At first Winslow won't drink, but before long he starts to indulge. Soon, strange things begin to happen. Winslow crosses paths with a malevolent seagull, promising bad omens. He has visions of squirming tentacles and a mermaid on the beach. A seemingly never-ending storm begins to rage, and Winslow becomes obsessed with finding out why Wake never lets anyone into the locked upper lighthouse beacon.
Is It Any Good?
A deeply unsettling second feature from horror director Robert Eggers, this black-and-white period piece about isolation is intense and constricting. The Lighthouse has images that are so disturbing and pungent that casual viewers may well wish they could un-see them -- but the staunchest viewers may be tempted to revisit them, just to confirm that they saw what they think they saw. Eggers not only uses grim black-and-white cinematography but a narrow, squarish aspect ratio to trap viewers inside a small space, where it's never quite clear whether things are real or the product of isolation, imagination, and fixation.
Not so much scary as it is graphic and disturbing, The Lighthouse is nevertheless a skillful, enveloping work, with two dedicated performances that are so physically and emotionally devastating that the actors must have been left completely drained. In particular, Dafoe, whose character jauntily recites ancient sea poetry through a clenched wooden pipe, gets several long takes so ferocious that they may demand to be studied in future acting classes. Eggers, who also made The Witch, creates such a complete picture of the past that it almost feels like the movie was actually filmed there. And its theme of isolation still applies today: Our glowing screens may be our own lighthouses.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Lighthouse's violence. How graphic is it? What's shown and not shown? What is the most shocking moment, and why?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of scary movies?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences for drinking? Why does that matter?
How does the concept of isolation in an 1890s lighthouse apply to today? Are we isolated today?
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 18, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: January 7, 2020
- Cast: Robert Pattinson , Willem Dafoe , Valeriia Karaman
- Director: Robert Eggers
- Studio: A24
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 109 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: sexual content, nudity, violence, disturbing images, and some language
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate