The defence The Arthouse Gremlin
“Its refusal to behave is the point.”
The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.
Back to trending 
The Wicker Man
Horror · 1973
Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. The investigation is further complicated as Howie’s religious views clash with those of the island’s residents.
Movie details
The Wicker Man
“Flesh to touch...Flesh to burn! Don't keep the Wicker Man waiting!”
1973 Horror 1h 33m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.3 / 10
Community rating
Police sergeant Neil Howie is called to an island village in search of a missing girl whom the locals claim never existed. The investigation is further complicated as Howie’s religious views clash with those of the island’s residents.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over The Wicker Man?
For the defence
The Arthouse Gremlin
“The stranger, the better.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Popcorn Loyalist
“Big screen, big feelings, no apologies.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
The Exorcist
Horror · 1973
When a mysterious entity possesses a young girl, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.
The King Tide
Mystery · 2024
After the mayor of an idyllic island village discovers a child with mysterious powers awash on their shores, the once peaceful community devolves into civil war, torn over the belief that the child is the next saviour.
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Horror · 2023
The crew of the merchant ship Demeter attempts to survive the ocean voyage from Carpathia to London as they are stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship.
The Boogeyman
Horror · 2023
Still reeling from the tragic death of their mother, a teenage girl and her younger sister find themselves plagued by a sadistic presence in their house and struggle to get their grieving father to pay attention before it’s too late.
April Fool's Day
Horror · 1986
On April Fool's Day weekend, a group of college friends gather together at a secluded island mansion to celebrate their final year of school, where they soon become prey for an unseen murderer.
Apostle
Horror · 2018
In 1905, a man travels to a remote island in search of his missing sister who has been kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult.
The Watchers
Fantasy · 2024
A young artist gets stranded in an extensive, immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night.
Jikirag
Horror · 2022
A pagan village, founded on the bones of both innocent and foul, is deeply rooted within the heart of an ancient Eden. When a balance of flesh and soil decays, the last surviving village elder battles madness and the macabre to save her people from not only themselves, but the monstrous judgement that burrows up from below.
The Ritual
Horror · 2017
A group of college friends reunite for a trip to the forest, but encounter a menacing presence in the woods that's stalking them.
The Exorcist III
Horror · 1990
On the fifteenth anniversary of the exorcism that claimed Father Damien Karras' life, Police Lieutenant Kinderman's world is once again shattered when a boy is found decapitated and savagely crucified.
Where it lives
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Robin Hardy
Written by
Anthony Shaffer
Edward Woodward
Sergeant Neil Howie
Christopher Lee
Lord Summerisle
Britt Ekland
Willow MacGreagor
Diane Cilento
Miss Rose
Ingrid Pitt
Librarian
Roy Boyd
Broome
Lesley Mackie
Daisy
Court is in session
Put The Wicker Man on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist
“Oddness is not depth.”
A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.