The Witch in the Window (2018) User Reviews

A good ghost drama

[C_Jags · 6/10 · 8 June 2019]

Possibly a bit slow-burning for many horror fans, but I enjoyed this one. The horror elements of the story are passable, but what really elevated it in my mind was the rapport and dialogue between father and son, which was quirky and believable. The ghost was fine, not super memorable, but with a couple effective scenes. The drama aspects of the film, however, made it enjoyable. For such a short film, it dragged on a bit at the end, which is why I docked points, but still definitely worth a look.

Atmospheric, spooky, well shot, well acted.

[jpop-35208 · 7/10 · 13 July 2019]

What a wonderful surprise this was. Went in expecting very little but got a really well shot, well acted classic ghost story. Not breaking too many boundaries in terms of originality but solid and genuinely chilling and scary in places. Definitely a hidden gem and worthy of a higher score on here.

Which witch wanted what?

[S_Soma · 7/10 · 27 October 2018]

While I have some significantly critical things to say about THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW, I should make it clear that, as a ghost movie, it is WAY better than the vast majority of other such movies out there. Even considering what I see as its significant flaws, this is a must-see picture for ghost movie fans during the Halloween season.

On the more critical side, I'm very ambivalent about THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW and, as usual for me, my ambivalence stems from the cavernous holes in the story big enough to drive a Carnival cruise ship through.

If you leave your IQ on the lowest setting and passively enjoy the movie strictly for its emotional and entertainment value, it's superb. The acting is excellent and the majority of the rest of the production values are more than adequate to purpose. The two main characters, a father and son (Simon and Finn respectively), are extremely charming and impossible not to like. Finn is especially engaging; what first appears to be the usual mundane and tiresome twelve-year-old rebelliousness turns out to be all-consuming curiosity. How can you not like a courageous kid driven by burning curiosity?

Additionally, still on the positive side, the story is possessed of a (new to my experience) unique combination of genuine troubled-family dynamics combined with ghostly elements in a novel way. This culminates in a bitter-sweet ending where the ghost element is incorporated by Simon (the father) to achieve the constance the lack of which typified his perpetual failures as a husband and father.

Unfortunately, many of the plot points involved in the story don't stand up to even a cursory glance. What emerges is that the writer/director/producer (all Andy Mitton) apparently only ever intended for the story to be the barest scaffolding for the family-drama emotional beats that were the focus of what he wanted to say in his movie.

As a few examples:

Lydia, the witch character (or ghost character; "witch" only really seems to be a derogatory name arbitrarily attached to Lydia by the local populace) is vague to the point of transparency. We don't really know anything about her by the end of the movie even though she is the titular character. She's arbitrarily described as a deliberate and calculatingly mean person who maybe/possibly/could have killed her own son and husband, but no motive other than general meanness is ever given for why she might want to do this. Ostensibly, Lydia's son and husband were killed in a farm equipment accident but "they say she did it". Lydia is said to have enjoyed making people feel creepy when they passed the farm as she sat and stared out the window. And that's all we know about Lydia. None of this is fleshed out. At all.

Later in the picture, Simon takes her place in the haunted house because Lydia wants to be "free". Is she being held captive? Does he have to stay in order for her to go free? Where does she intend to go and why does she intend to go there? What's going on?

There's a scene that gets ample credit for being intensely creepy, but it makes absolutely no sense. Once the father takes Lydia's place, we see Lydia strolling down a New York street, where she suddenly stops in the middle of the sidewalk and stares up at us. And while she has always been depicted wearing witch-appropriate anachronistic clothing, suddenly she's dressed in stylish modern clothes. Huh? Her big ghost thing was that she wanted to move to New York? What?

Clearly the story in THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW is only intended to fit the same role as the story in an opera. It's a vague scaffolding you're not supposed to think about while the characters stroll around the stage shrieking on key. In this movie, you're supposed to focus on the family problems and Simon's emotional growth and willingness to make the big sacrifice to be there, finally, for this wife and son, albeit in a ghostly and nontraditional way.

So think of THE WITCH IN THE WINDOW as more of a family drama with a supernatural spin. There are some very unusual scenes for a ghost story, some satisfying scares, and some very likable characters (other than Beverly, the mom, in my opinion). Just don't expect a particularly tight story and you'll have a good time.

Nicely done

[bob-bershad · 7/10 · 9 September 2018]

Nicely done. Superb execution. It's a rare movie these days that's any good when the writer, director and co-producer are the same person. No checks and balances usually, resulting in a self-indulgent mess.

Not here though. Good job to all concerned for making it a movie we out here can enjoy. There's one plot flaw but not a deal-killer (why did she put her husband and son in a haymaker? Not clear).

Lead dude reminds me of late 1960s/early 1970s U.S. leading men, like Richard Dreyfuss, Dusten Hoffman. So very nice to see that style of acting - authentic, personal and intimate - once again on the big screen.

A bit different from your run of the mill horror

[omendata · 6/10 · 14 January 2019]

This is more of what I would call a Chiller - a drama with some scares thrown in so do not go into this thinking its full of gore and nasty scares type horror - Its not!

Having said that i like its lugubrious pacing as this adds to the movies sense of gloom and foreboding and I do like that type of film!

Quite a sad little film, made me feel quite chilled and that is a good thing as most movies these days just leave me laughing or wishing it was all over.

Acting was not bad contrary to the other reviews and the boy reminds me a lot of Haley Joel Osmont and does plays his part well!

Not a bad little chiller at all!

A Slow-Burn "Hallmark Moment" Horror Tale

[SomaQuest · 5/10 · 21 October 2018]

Written and filmed as a "Hallmark Moment" film with supernatural overtones The Witch In The Window was actually quite well done, but failed to avoid the expected foreshadowing which turned the ending twist into an expected moment.

The member of the production team who deserves the most credit for this picture is the camera operator as his ability to properly line up angles and shots allowed for the subtle and passive introduction of spectral portion of this story. A combination of a made for TV Version of The Shining with a dash of Being John Malcovich and The Others thrown in for good measure.

Please do not get me nor the other reviews wrong; this is a well-made entry-level ghost story that was both well written and acted, a slow-burn that was beautifully enduring in its exposure, however, I just failed to feel rewarded for my patience. A ghost story I would happily suggest for my 12-year old who may be overwhelmed with a more In-Your-Face type film.

I wanted so much to enjoy this movie; after reading countless reviews about how this was an amazing film I am sorry, but I just couldn't get on-board with that mentality. With a relatively short run time of 75+ minutes I recommend you give it a shot yourself as it is basically like watching two television episodes back-to-back in regards to time invested.

It has it's moments

[jess_td · 6/10 · 2 July 2019]

This is a simple VERY LIGHT horror that follows a father and his son that are trying to reform a house that the father just bought. The house is already inhabited by a mysterious ghost of a woman, wich is not the regular ghost from cliche scary movies. The film has some cute moments between father and son, given that the father was kinda absent from his son's life and is trying to reconnect with him. You will also see some good and smart scary moments, as the part when the father is trying to leave the house but he finds himself in a looping that doesn't let him get out. Or the one where the son is talking to the father and suddenly the father finds out that his son is actually not there, but in his mom's house. As already mentioned, the ghost (the with from the movie's title) is interesting. Not the usual evil. In some point you may sympathize with her.

BUT this is not a movie with a well explained story and surprising discoveries that take your breath away. The movie has a good story but a lot of details are merely mentioned and never explained. You'll have to guess.

It's worth your time if you're looking for a simple light horror that has cool characters and a cohesive plot.

Startles in Some Moments, but In General is a Weak Horror Film

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 10 November 2018]

The low-budget "The Witch in the Window" is a movie that startles in some moments, but in general is a weak horror film. The beginning is dramatic and it takes too much time to have the first horror scene, which is worthwhile watching. There is not much development of the witch and the viewer never learns why she is trapped to the house. The protagonist Finn is ridiculous going to bed with a Ted bear. The poor conclusion is rushed, confused and predictable. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

horror + drama, why not

[ariqakbar · 7/10 · 27 October 2018]

First of all i do really enjoy the cinematography from this movie, it's good.

even the story not too perfectly strong and good, i still amaze from how they can make a horror movie so warm. the family sense that they want to show really serve very good.

and it has a really good ending too.

Not a slow burn, someone forgot to put on the kettle actually...

[scifi-97852 · 2/10 · 9 July 2019]

I have absolutely no problem with movies that are more character and plot driven, especially those with limited budgets. In fact I watched one earlier today that I was so pleasantly surprised about that I contacted my husband and raved about it for 30 minutes while he was at a conference in Germany.

I watched the whole thing, not like a lot of other low reviews who turned it off mid movie. And I can say there were some cute moments between the father and son. But there was nothing driving the plot, so to speak. A moment that struck out to me, and this is where I must say if you're not one who likes spoilers, obviously you clicked the little spoiler warning button so you must not mind, but it's not much of one...so far the house has given them a dead bird in a chimney, something out of the corner of the father's eye, and... that's it.

And the son asks "do you think there's something wrong with this house."

Now, I'm a responsible adult, I know how to answer that question. Even spooked, you answer it ... no. Of course not. Even at this point, there's nothing giving them any indication of wrongness, except the same stuff we all hear in an old house.

Yet the father answers "maybe."

Later they see the ghost, witch? And instead of running the other way they walk right up to it, face to face, stare inches into her face and say her name and are surprised when she tries to attack them. Not just the father, the son as well. Now, I can imagine when the father FINALLY tells his son to get out of the house (which he does not do at first), and the son doesn't listen, that you can understand. The kid is 12. 12 year olds don't often listen. But that is when you march your child out of the house and away from whatever it is sitting in that chair. You do not let your child get in front of you and get in her face.

Those start piling up, and then the plot twist at the end makes absolutely no sense. They barely mention why she's evil, and then they never really explain what she was a witch for, or if she was just a really evil woman, but suddenly she had the power to keep him on the property, something she never had before, but she seemed like just an evil woman before and... really the plot just unravels. And it's a shame because the actors weren't necessarily bad. It's just that...the father makes more and more terrible choices, concluding in giving up his life so his son can have a house.

And quite frankly, I think I would rather have a tiny apartment in the city and an alive father than a house in Vermont and a dead dad.

The pacing is slow, the acting is good, the kid is a good actor, but with the plot and the holes and the inconsistencies, and the fact that it's just not scary (or even disconcerting in the least), I can't give it above a 2.

Watch in the day

[mrshiraz_gigs · 8/10 · 16 December 2018]

Decided to watch this alone in bed. It was a mistake haha Genuinely creepy slow burning horror. Doesn't go for easy jump scares, slowly builds the dread. Great performances by all the cast, really great cinematography. If you like your horror to have a bit more depth then give this a go

Eerie unusual ghost story - very human

[bsmar-1 · 7/10 · 1 January 2023]

The most memorable ghost stories deal with loss and loneliness. In recent years, we have seen A Ghost Story and The Others as outstanding examples. The Witch in the Window isn't quite in that league, but given its modest budget, it still manages to be a superior addition to the genre.

Great ghost stories very often also include houses. So it is that a middle aged father and his teenage son begin renovating a country house in Vermont, only to start to sense that something isn't quite right - from strange smells to eerie bumps in the walls and fleeting glimpses of someone else - a woman - who seems to have come with the purchase. Then there is the neighbour who imparts the house's uneasy local reputation and the rumours about its previous owner, Lydia...

This is an economical (78 minutes) film from writer-director, Andy Mitton, that is assured enough to let its tale unfold through character and mood, without relying on jump scares and J-horror-style imagery and conventions. In lesser hands, it would fall flat. The camera lingers on naturally-lit aspects of the house and the landscape, tinkling and pensive piano underscores the isolation and quietude of the mist and the raindrops and, most importantly, the nuances of the relationship between father and son provide its backbone.

When we first meen teenage Finn, his mother is handing him over to his estranged father, Simon, listing the aspects in the modern world that make it difficult to parent well and maintain a good relationship with your child. Simon, who has his own battles with isolation, is also doubtful about his relationship with Finn ("I've managed to get you on the wrong side of 12!"), but as conversations and events unfold at the house, his love and commitment to bridging the emotional gulf become clear. This relationship is beautifully drawn in the script, with the very natural performances from both actors providing the emotional investment necessary for us to care about what happens to them. In particular, as a teenage character, Finn is well and unusually honestly written, with a thoroughly believable and moving performance by Charlie Tacker to flesh him out.

This film works so well because the loneliness of the broken son-father-mother relationship is revealed gently in the story, set against our increasing hope that it may heal, while an equally lonely force in the house seems to be setting out to threaten it. The end result is surprising, slightly unusual and often unexpected. Its conclusion is perhaps a bit less well executed than the lead up would have you expect, but it leaves you with a sad, haunting feeling, which is surely what an effective ghost story should do!

The problem with The Witch in the Window is the witch

[Floater44 · 5/10 · 9 January 2020]

First off the positives. I liked the main characters. The father and son had a really wholesome and charming dynamic/rapport. The dialogue was pretty well written and the actors did a pretty good job. Hate to say it but the kids in these movies are often just annoying, poorly acted and detract from the movie, that was not the case here. The drama story was decent and believable enough, although obviously nothing new or groundbreaking and a bit boring at times. Typical divorce/separation story.

My major problem with the movie was the witch. She wasn't scary. All she would do is run at the characters and let out an eyeroll worthy horror movie scream. It was corny, it was lame and it wasn't scary. As a "horror" it failed, imo. I'll still give it a 5 because again, I think the main characters did a quite admirable job.

Was their a witch in the window ?

[waynehorrorshow · 7/10 · 13 November 2018]

Ok then the film was a real surprise , it was very good it kept me watching, the way the film had been made was very clever,i wont go into detail but it was quite creepy and interesting , watch it its worth it "thumbs up" .

If you can over look it's flaws

[just_in_case · 7/10 · 3 November 2018]

I think the most impressive piece of this film is the acting. Both the father and son feel real and have quite a lot of depth. Far beyond whats expected of an indie horror film. Very three dimensional characters. The concept I think was very well with ironically the minor flaw being the horror aspect. I see this happen sometimes with horror movies where they build up the emotional suspense and drama then ruin with a lame boogie man. Thankfully with this one immediately does a 180 and turn the monster into something far more complex and interesting. Although it does a thing at the end thats similarly groan worthy as the ending of Sinister. I think they should have just throw out the jump scares in this one and let it be a supernatural drama. When it's doing that it's great.

In summary I would just say if you've looking a bunch of jump scares you may want to skip this one. It's more the vein of a drama with horror aspects.

Malice that should have been stronger

[TheLittleSongbird · 5/10 · 2 December 2018]

Was pretty intrigued by the concept, which may not have been a new one but there was potential for it to be a creepy film if done right. The title is simple but certainly grabs the attention and is to the point. Some of my horror reviews recently sound indicates someone who dislikes the horror genre, quite the contrary, it's not my favourite genre but there are many watchable and more (even classic) films in it and there is appreciation for it (as with all genres old and new).

'The Witch in the Window' is certainly nowhere near close to being one of my worst recent film viewings and have definitely seen far worse throughout my life. However, a classic 'The Witch in the Window' is not and have also seen much better films recently. It is another one of those watchable films that doesn't quite do enough with its potential but doesn't squander it, which was a relief for me having seen a lot of potential wastes and was growing tired of them.

Starting with the good things, 'The Witch in the Window' does provide unsettlement visually, with ominous photography that has slickness if not always refinement. The setting and lighting similarly are spooky. It is hauntingly scored and there is evidence of focus and momentum in the directing.

Once it gets going, 'The Witch in the Window' does boast a good amount of skin-crawling suspense and unsettling scares. As well as a surprising emotional impact in a quietly sorrowful sort of way, there is evidence of character development here and while not rich it was hardly surface level. Actually found myself caring for the lead characters and their story, which did give the film its heart. The acting is pretty decent too.

However, 'The Witch in the Window' does take too long to get going and set up with a pretty dull first 20-25 minutes that could easily have been tightened. Worse was the ending, which on top of being too easily telegraphed too early was very rushed and muddled, as well as going overboard on the bitter-sweetness.

Much more could have been done with the titular character, who should have been the star of the show but the way she is utilised and written is one of the biggest drawbacks. She is scary but has a back-story that is badly under-developed with too many things on an explanation level left unclear and then confused when explanation is attempted. Throughout the dialogue is very stilted.

Altogether, watchable but lacking in too many areas. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Misleading yet intriguing

[mrfoxx-70466 · 7/10 · 31 October 2018]

A father, who lacked presence during the crucial years of development of his son, tries to bond with him while renovating an old mansion. Over time, it turns out that there is some presence in the house - the more father and son work on the house the more remarkable the presence becomes.

The movie is not what you expect from a horror movie with that promising title. In fact, it starts off as family movie, develops into a relationship movie and ends up as suspense movie without gore, blood or violence. Yet, there is a mind-gripping sub story that easily could be misinterpret as a metaphor for the father's live (guilt - refrain - agitation). It is way more. It's certainly not the type of movie you would watch for light entertainment, it is the sheer existentialism of horror movies, almost comparable in its density and structure to It Follows or The Pact.

Another movie that gets political

[Casegal-823-987438 · 1/10 · 13 July 2020]

I love a good horror movie. This one was slow and far from scary. Once again a movie gets political

Gave me chills

[chrisgee-07956 · 7/10 · 16 October 2020]

A divorced man takes his son, whom he doesn't see nearly enough, to his recently purchased house to flip. While working on the house together they hear stories from the locals about the previous father and son that occupied the house years prior. And their violent and mysterious death. They also hear of the woman (Witch??) that may be responsible. Scariness ensues. This doesn't have an Avatar budget nor the actors from The Deer Hunter. There are loose ends and cliches aplenty. That being said the acting is fine and the effects don't detract. There were a Couple scenes that gave me actual chills and I appreciate that. Worth my seventy-something minutes. Worth yours too.

Disgusting

[xxicecats · 1/10 · 7 September 2019]

This movie is an embarrassment. Two minutes into the movie they have made a political reference. Not the time or place to be making comment about the president or anything political in a horror movie... Do not recommend at all.

Enjoyable if slightly underwhelmed drama/horror effort

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 8/10 · 25 July 2018]

Taking a trip into up North, a father and his young son intending to use the trip to flip a property he owns into a bonding experience between them, but as they begin to fix up the house a series of strange events causes them to believe that the locals' witch stories might be real.

This wasn't all that bad of an effort. One of the strongest points of this one is the rather fine way this dives into the family dynamics between the two which is at the heart of the film. As the opening shots of this immediately giving us the idea of a strained relationship at the heart of the film, from their inability to really get an idea of each others' likes and dislikes or the outright disapproval of their trip which is further enhanced by the events showcased once they arrive. Although you can tell it picks up nicely between them as the two develop a somewhat closer bond over time, the fact that we still get to see him blow up at the kid for totally unwarranted situations still manages to ring true here. Most of the events in the second half where it becomes far more obvious that something's in the house with them all stem from the idea of trying to protect the kid which gives them far more potency and impact. Once that occurs, this one picks up rather nicely with the fine ability to showcase some really enjoyable scenes here. The early idea of the haunted farmhouse, from them hearing rattling in the walls or in the basement to the boxes being found in different places than where they left them really help to give this a strong atmosphere already before it even brings up the ghostly legend of the area. That helps to tie into the freaky sequences in the second half, where they actually encounter it sitting in the chair in the fabled room unresponsive to anything and then chasing them out of the house in one of the better scenes in here. Another rapid-fire series of scenes in the final half twisting around a tender moment between them is a fine jump, and the melancholia of the ending is certainly well-deserved. As well as the great location-work to make the house itself seem creepy and foreboding in its unassuming matter, these here work nicely to hold this up over its flaws. The main problem to be had here is the rather obvious low-key approach to the material that can turn some off. This isn't explosive or action-packed in the slightest, even with the shortened running time as the family drama over the first half is the main focus of the film. Taking on more of bonding, reconnecting style of presentation rather than going for more of a horror atmosphere that could've been developed with the idea of the witch haunting the house. The lack of real supernatural demonstrations and overt witchcraft dealings that most normally expect in such efforts are totally missing here and somewhat stall this one from what it could've offered which isn't a detriment to the film at all for that might be a positive in some regards. Still, it's an overriding issue here and one that should be brought up.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Mild Violence.

A great, slow-burning ghost story that goes off the rails a little, but I still liked it.

[WisdomsHammer · 7/10 · 17 November 2018]

I love a good ghost story / haunted house movie. Good ones are so hard to find. I thought I'd found my next new favorite until about an hour in when it went off the rails a little. Then it got back on track. The end is a little wobbly and a little too cute, maybe, but overall, I really liked this movie.

For the most part, the story follows a man, estranged from his wife, as he bonds with his son, who is staying with him while he fixes up an old house that turns out to be haunted by the woman who used to live there.

I thought it was a wonderful way to tell a ghost story, and I was completely invested up until about an hour in, when they overplayed their hand. I felt like it got back on track, but the ending felt a little clumsy and a little too cute. Overall, I still liked it though.

I really liked the characters and the story felt well paced. It never felt boring or slow to me, but I can see why it might feel that way for some.

Definitely recommended.

Turned it off after 2 mins

[surgicalrn · 1/10 · 25 March 2019]

Normally, I just ignore the politics in movies/tv, otherwise there wouldn't be anything to watch but this movie had to open with global warming & a slam at the President. At least, get me interested before throwing your politics in my face.

Scary one time watch

[helenmcguin · 6/10 · 12 April 2020]

Good ghost story with a couple of terrifying moments. I don't see how I'd get anymore out of it watching it a second time though.

A ghost story thats interesting but some scares fail miserably

[lewismart · 7/10 · 2 August 2019]

This movie is actually quite interesting and I never found myself bored through it like some people I've read on here. There's some spooky moments throughout, however, sometimes when the scares happen it comes across cheap. As in cheaply made, it should have just stuck with the creepy imagery in the first half. However this movie isn't bad, but isn't a masterpiece either.