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“The Wicker Man” is a 1973 horror movie that takes place in Scotland. It tells the story of a police officer from the mainland of Scotland who goes to Summerisle to investigate the case of a missing girl. While there, he discovers the isle’s ancient religious customs and rituals. The movie stars Edward Woodward as Sergeant Howie and was directed by Robin Hardy.
This movie is not scary in the traditional jump scare way.
It plays on viewers’ psychology and has twists and turns that leave the viewers
guessing. The ending surprised me. It makes sense, but I was not expecting that
ending. Sergeant Howie is a devout Christian, so seeing these ancient religious
practices upsets him, especially what he finds out about the missing girl.
Aside from the dark ending, it was cool to see ancient
religious practices and beliefs in a (somewhat) modern movie. Many people
associate Celtic lands, especially Ireland and Scotland, with Christianity, so
seeing ancient Celtic religion in practice on screen was neat. Although Celtic
pagans still practice today, not every aspect of the religion is performed in
modern times.
The movie is great for those who love psychological thriller
movies. It has some chilling aspects without traditional jump scares. There is
some violence and nudity in the film, so parents and guardians should be cautious
if young children are around.
Throughout the movie, there is a sense that there is
something missing, like something is being left out of the plot. This feeling
goes away as more and more things are uncovered throughout the movie, but there
is a constant feeling of suspense. This is in part due to Sergeant Howie’s
blatant ignorance of religious practices outside of Christianity and his
inability to research the case properly.
Overall, this film is a strong psychological horror movie
that will leave viewers speechless with its dark ending. While the movie starts
off slow, it picks up as it goes. It has a runtime of 100 minutes, but it does
not feel that long. “The Wicker Man” has gained cult status, and rightfully so
because of its chilling plot and excellent acting.
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