The Wicker Man

This very unconventional detective story (mistakenly called a horror) is based mainly on the strange mysterious atmosphere of a small British island ruled by pagan customs instead of Christianity. The confrontation between the bigoted policeman and the local natives, who acknowledge an ancient deity, escalates into an exquisite ending, where it is up to each viewer to decide whether they prefer the human sacrifice to the goddess of the earth or the words "The Lord is my shepherd." Edward Woodward excels in the lead role of the strongly religious detective, and like Christopher Lee opposite him, his charisma is evident in every frame. The powerful experience is further enhanced by the strange folk music and dance rituals, which surprisingly do not disturb (and yet this is no musical), but simply belong to the film like everything else. The last ritual gives unpleasant chills. (05/07/2006)

Colorful fictional folklore, a bit of hippie poetics of apple growing and casual sex, a bit of dull detective story kicked off with the final twist. Yes, its atmosphere cannot be denied, it can be resonating like Christopher Lee's tone color - especially in an epic ending. But the filmmaking is really mediocre, full of naivety and, in the extended version, quite disturbing visual excesses. In short, the film didn't entice me nearly as well as like-minded crazy films (which I consider to be my heart's capital) would have. Feel free to burn me to death - great idea, slightly above-average movie. (11/02/2011)

I had the same feeling from The Wicker Man that I usually experience when reading reviews written in Swahili; these feelings are identical to when Howie enters Summerisle pub. What more do you need to know about the investigations of a shy fanatic and his battle against pagan windmills which is hard to determine the genre (s) of and even those of us with the confidence of Donald Trump wouldn’t dare to try. Just don’t worry about that and let yourself be sucked in by THAT atmosphere, the actors, the songs, the Vermin Man by the maypole, Lee’s flowing locks, phallic symbols and... And one of the most unusual (and one of the best) movie experiences ever. Shirley Jackson would have loved this. (21/06/2012)

A remote Scottish island with dramatic rock formations and windswept vegetation... The atmosphere of the location and the depiction of the cult mentality of its inhabitants make this a unique film, for a near B-movie debut of a director who then gave up on filmmaking. The equivocation of everyone present, the seductive sexual undertone, the helplessness of the main character of the police sergeant whom no one respects, and the almost spectacular sophistication of the people’s strange beliefs and their origins make The Wicker Man an absorbing, plot-driven flick. (14/04/2020)

Horror productions often resemble a merry-go-round, where a successful film is usually the starting point for a whole series of inferior sequels and the genre actually recycles a few successful models. The Wicker Man stands out from the genre's compartments and plays with its viewers, just like it does with its protagonist. Policeman Howie comes to the island to solve the disappearance of a local girl, but from the very beginning, he faces strange reactions from the local population. Common conventions, rules, and laws recognized on the mainland do not apply in this place. A sinister premonition turns into certainty that a terrible crime is imminent, and that turns into a determination to save the victim's endangered life at all costs. The film uses motifs from the horror and thriller genres, but it disregards their traditional props and, in the end, it is closer to a very dark comedy. It overturns traditional Christian morality (from which the gothic novel emerges as a predecessor of modern horror), ridicules it, and gradually leads its principled protagonist into a fateful trap. The Wicker Man is not particularly profound or complicated, but it is surprisingly functional and above all entertaining. Overall impression: 75%. (19/03/2015)