One of our absolute favorite sub-genres belongs to folklore and tales of witches. I love witches. There have been some incredible instances in the sub-genre especially as of late, but She Will enchants and rises above the fire line to create something that is pure cinematic, magic.
Empowerment through loss of control, or self identity is a constantly fascinating avenue. That is just one of the bright sparks of magic that makeup Charlotte Colbert’s She Will. A truly, lovely story that casts a very specific visual spell over its audience by way of the fascinating genre involving witches.
There have been a few good films dealing with Witches following The VVitch, but none as potent and good as this one. Fans of the sub-genre will be riveted with the film.
She Will crafts a story revolving around Veronica Ghent (Alice Krige) who is heading to the woodlands of Scotland to heal and find herself following a double mastectomy surgery. Ghent enlists the assistance of her nurse, Desi (Kota Eberhardt) to go along with her.
Right from the get-go, the chemistry between Krige and Eberhardt is rich. Ghent is a strong character that is not allowing any cracks to show in her armor; having gone through the surgery. She masks it with her quick, regal attitude. Being an actress Ghent knows how to hide her true feelings under booze and pills. Within the intro, which is roughly 10 minutes, you can already feel the incredible acting that Krige and Eberhardt are bringing to the film. They are both astonishing in their own ways and they make.
Upon arrival at the woodland mansion, the two women discover that they are joined by a group of artists who have come to the woods, to explore the power that the lands have. The rural bits of Scotland are home to a staggering amount of witch burnings and the group has come to take a closer look at the surroundings.
Immediately when Ghent arrives and settles in she begins to change and become stronger through her loss. There is something in the woods that begins calling out for and seeking Ghent. But, is it sinister?
I love the light that Colbert frames the film with. It’s a woman who is essentially reborn by way of the strength of the woods. A phoenix from the ashes who is given fuel by women who lost their existence against their will in those woods.
Dario Argento is a producer on She Will. You can definitely see why he would add his name. Colbert’s eye is as brilliant as Argento’s picking up on beautiful set-pieces, insanely cool visuals and memorable characters. All the hallmarks that made Argento the filmmaker he is. While his name is on the film, this is an entirely a new and unique fingerprint made by Colbert. It’s one of those films that you know immediately, nobody else could have created.
The brilliant Clint Mansell composes the score for She Will and he truly steps outside of the box with this one. It’s grandiose and lush with these wisps of ghostly voices that plays brilliantly with with the visuals of the film. If the blu-ray were to have a track where its score and picture only, the film would work on an entirely new and capable level. The score is that good.
Colbert does an incredible job of walking the thin black line between the emotive engine and the supernatural witchiness. A tough balance, but one that she executes fantastically. She never steers away from the raw-nerve approach to the more emotional side and the result of that steadfast methodology makes for a richly deserved, currency for the audience.
She Will is rooted-in darkly elegant folklore. The film bewitches its audience by way of eye-popping visuals, a fierce score and incredible performances. It’s a true dark visual feast. Krige gives a heartbreaking and empowering performance that is easily one of the best I’ve seen this year. Colbert takes a personal and traumatic subject and guides the audience through a wonderfully, alluring landscape full of witchiness to a surprising turn of strength. It rises above and gives fans of witches something wonderful to get lost in.
