Horror is one of my favorite genres because it subverts expectations. It subverts who survives, who the real monster is, and the lengths that you’re willing to go to to live. In The Calling Witch, all of these are present with the added element that the “witch” is a character instead of a nebulous figure. And that detail is what makes The Calling Witch a memorable addition to any final girl horror list out there.
At the center of The Calling Witch we have Virginia (Danika Golombek) and Edward (Grayson Eddey). They’re siblings who have just lost their mother to suicide. They live in the countryside and the sister takes up a major amount of responsibilities when it comes to her brother. She does this while dreaming of the day she gets to live her own life. And the movie does a good job of establishing the bond between the siblings as the central focus of this entire journey, no matter what things go bump in the night or the grander of the mom and her continued shadow in their lives.
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When the horror element kicks in, Virginia defends her home and more importantly her brother, she transforms before your eyes. Because it doesn’t matter that she wants to leave and live her life out in New York City. There’s a threat in front of her. And she’s going to deal with it the same way Nancy Wheeler did in Stranger Things. With a shotgun.
And honestly, I love a woman who knows that she’s capable and goes for it. There was no hesitation when it came to Virginia. If she had to go outside and confront this witch that’s haunting them, she made sure that her brother was behind her and holding her shirt so she would be able to shoot confidently and clearly. And the brother trusted in his sister. So much so that he didn’t do any of those annoying things kids do in horror movies to progress the plot.
The Calling Witch also didn’t lean into jump-scares and gimmicks. Instead it took its time to build the kind of tension you would think Hollywood blockbusters would understand that that’s what viewers want. And it was wrapped beautifully in this picturesque home in the middle of the woods in combination with cinematography that felt it was flowing in turn with nature but also an atmosphere of loneliness, grief, but hope for the future.
As Virginia is doing everything to protect her brother Edward, the movie comes to a point where secrets are revealed and you know who the witch is. At this point you would expect any other horror movie to end. The Calling Witch does not. This horror movie, who by this point has done unexpected thing after unexpected thing, goes and surprises me again by making me feel for the witch. This is where “who is the villain?” is flipped on its head. Nevertheless, you continue cheering for Virginia and Edward.
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Even the conclusion of The Calling Witch is one of my favorite things that I’ve seen in a long time. Because as an older sister, I understand parentification. I understand the pressure that is put on siblings, especially the older ones when the parents are unavailable. And even though I went through parentification, I wouldn’t change the years that I spent raising my siblings. And I could see that in Virginia when it came to Edward and how they continued to choose each other.
The Calling Witch was further supported by the stunning artwork by Richard Ingersoll that set the tone for this film. Because this horror story is based on the in-movie book that Virginia and Edward’s mom wrote about a monster in the woods. And it reminds me of these creepy children’s books I used to read as a kid. Those felt like works of art. So this this. And the fact that the movie presented this early on in the story, it sets up the entire movie in a way that you don’t realize until the very end.
Overall, The Calling Witch is the kind of movie where just when you think it’s over, it’s not. And every single moment that comes afterwards, it’s brilliantly woven together to tell a story about family, loss, and what we’re willing to do to defend those that are our own. It’s beautiful, atmospheric, and it’s truly the kind of movie that I wish Hollywood would invest more in. Movies like The Calling Witch are grounded, beautifully structured, and don’t forget that at the heart of horror is humanity.
The Calling Witch is available on VOD.
