Common Sense Media Review
By Charles Cassady Jr.
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic British horror has sex, threat, mature themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Wicker Man (1973)
What's the Story?
THE WICKER MAN begins with the arrival by seaplane of a Scottish police officer, Sgt. Howie (Edward Woodward), to the coastal settlement of Summerisle. He's following up on a report of a local girl's disappearance, but villagers deny that the child ever existed. Howie observes that the town's church is long abandoned, children learn fertility rites in school, naked couples make love outdoors at night, and men in the local inn sing a lewd ditty about the owner's daughter (Britt Ekland). When Howie visits the local authority, Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee), the aristocrat explains that his ancestor, a science-minded agronomist, banished belief in Jesus from the island and reinstated the town's historical pagan beliefs. Howie is now sure that the missing girl is intended to be a human sacrifice to the gods to guarantee a bountiful harvest, but can he save her from her fate?
Is It Any Good?
This isn't a horror movie full of jump scares or gory slashings, but relies more on discomfort and unease to make its impact. The Wicker Man is a disturbing suspense drama about religious ideas in deadly conflict. In this case, a remote British community has rejected conventional Christianity in favor of the ancient ways of Druid-style worship and ritual. Much of it seems harmless, until it doesn't, and then things take a turn for the uneasy, a sense of doom lurking around every oddly jovial corner.
There's a "twist" ending that can be predicted fairly easily, but that doesn't make the movie's finale any less creepy or uncomfortable. Unlike typical Hollywood horror-movie settings, Summerisle is an attractive place where everybody seems cheerful, friendly, and content -- as long as the harvest goes well. While The Wicker Man isn't recommended as family viewing, the religious angle (which is practically absent in the 2006 remake) offers a number of things that parents of mature kids could talk about. You could argue that The Wicker Man makes a pro-Christianity statement, since it shows dire consequences for a society that goes the opposite way. But the outcome is pessimistic and doom-laden.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the religious elements of The Wicker Man. What does the movie say about religion -- Christianity, Paganism, and religion more widely? Are the friendly people of Summerisle truly "evil"? Discuss how religion can shape our values and our understanding of right and wrong.
Discuss the horror of the final scene. How do filmmakers ramp up the sense of dread in the minutes leading up to it? How is it portrayed without showing too much detail?
The film is considered a classic in many horror circles and was remade in 2006. Have you seen the remake? How does it compare? Can you think of other examples of remakes -- what qualities separate the successful from the less successful?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 15, 1974
- On DVD or streaming : August 21, 2001
- Cast : Britt Ekland , Christopher Lee , Edward Woodward
- Director : Robin Hardy
- Studio : Anchor Bay Entertainment
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sex, nudity, mature themes, violence, language
- Last updated : February 16, 2024
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