THE LIGHTHOUSE: Interesting Drama That Drifts Into Stormy Seas

The Lighthouse adapts a fascinating piece of Welsh folklore and maritime history – but despite a fantastic script and performances, the film only partly lives up to the horror of its premise.

The story of the original Smalls Lighthouse is a fascinating one, with various tales of isolation and destruction peppering its eighty-year existence. The most well-known is that of Thomas Griffith and Thomas Howell, who were stuck in the lighthouse for an extended period of time when bad storms prevented aid or relief from reaching them. The psychological effects of this, and the keepers’ history, makes for an interesting tale – one which director and writer Chris Crow decided to adapt.

The Lighthouse recounts the broad strokes of the tale, although some details are tweaked for artistic license. Much of the incident is remembered through the lighthouse’s journal, which shines light on the personalities of the two men, and the excerpts of the film that work on this material are fantastic. However, the real elements don’t always fit alongside their fabricated counterparts, and the film loses some of its atmosphere as a result.

Two Men Named Thomas

The best element of the film is undoubtedly the characterisation of the two lighthouse keepers – an important task, given that they are required to carry the film. A clever script catapults solid performances, making this locked-room thriller stand out above its competition in the way its inhabitants interact.

One of the most interesting choices in the script is that the two characters only speak around ten words to each other for the first half-hour of film. The particular way scenes are edited and scripted means that it’s surprisingly far into the film when we see the characters hold a conversation, which is a subtle way to foreshadow the tensions and troubles that the characters face. The film never needs to tell the audience that these characters have a history, and particular hopes and fears – it shows this instead.

It is quickly clear which stereotype each character is inspired by – Thomas Griffiths is a seasoned veteran and Thomas Howell is a religious enthusiast, but these characterisations are swiftly built upon and altered in such a way as to make it clear that these tropes were simply the building blocks for more interesting characters. This is in part due to the wonderful performances from Mark Lewis Jones and Michael Jibson respectively, and a tension between the two that creeps from passive to confrontational as the film progresses.

In particular, Jibson is required to carry the film during the entirety of the climax, and the way he sells Howell’s descent into despair and isolation is the highlight of the film. Although his performance veers into campiness towards the end, aided by a script which perhaps goes a little too far to emphasise his growing insanity, he carries the film with grace and confidence.

Never More Than A Dark Cloud On The Horizon

In real life the storm was not the antagonist the film sets it up to be – rather, Griffith’s illness and death, and Howell’s decision not to jettison the body but keep it around, was the reason Howell eventually went mad. The film plays up the force of the storm – yet in doing so, it diminishes the power of the men and their tension, and never manages to replace it with a real sense of dread or foreboding.

At several points, characters talk about the island and the storm as an antagonistic force, but this antagonism is never reflected on in the film save for rain and thunder in the background, and this lack of a threat or danger is likely why the film never really spreads its wings. The isolated location, the characters with backgrounds that conflict and the punishing weather could all equate to a film in which we fear for the characters’ lives with every step, but instead it works better as a character study.

The film is billed as a thriller, however, and particular elements of the film – the dream-like sequences, the way the characters talk about the island, the actions of Howell at the end of the film – all suggest that the tone is supposed to be far tenser than it actually is.

That isn’t to say the film fails at its goal – at particular points, such as the aforementioned climax with Jibson or various conversations between the two during the second act, the strain between the two is latent.  At its best, the film wallows in the tenuous relationship of these characters, as though at any moment they could collapse and crumble – just like the lighthouse they inhabit.

Conclusion: The Lighthouse

The Lighthouse does a lot right. The production quality is solid, presenting the lighthouse as the most absorbing theatre stage of all time, and the effects and editing all complement the film’s competent script. It’s just a shame that the film’s tension never falls in step with the rest of these elements.

The star of the film isn’t Jones or Jibson however, despite their hard work. As the director, writer, visual effects director and colourist, Chris Crow did a commendable job at transforming an interesting maritime legend into an engaging character study. It’s clear that Crow has a knack for defining unique characters, and his writing coupled with the performances of these characters cement the film as a worthwhile exploration of Welsh history.

The film shouldn’t be billed as a thriller; as an engaging drama The Lighthouse is one of the best locked-room dramas that Britain has ever produced, and it works as an impressive showcase of the talents behind it.

Does the Smalls Lighthouse incident lend itself better to a thriller or a drama film? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

The Lighthouse was released in the United States on July 6, 2018 and on VOD on July 10, 2018.