With the recent trend of both lighthouse-set horror and the inexplicable popularity of sea shanties thanks to, what else, TikTok, it seems like high tide…I mean time for a fresh new entry into the canon. Roxy Shih’s Beacon is happy to oblige. It’s a gripping two-hander that deftly swirls together themes of distrust, survival, and cosmic horror, anchored by two outstanding performances by its leads Julia Goldani Telles and Demian Bichir.
Third-generation sailor Emily thrusts herself onto the high seas, intent to circumnavigate the world with no GPS or electronic aids just as her father and grandfather did before her. When attempting to traverse the southern tip of South America, Emily’s ship is wrecked on the coast of an isolated island whose only inhabitant is Ismael (Bichir), a lighthouse-keeper who rescues and nurses Emily back to health. But as Emily awaits rescue, Ismael’s behaviour and small clues about his past forment suspicion in both the young sailor and, interestingly, her rescuer.
Under Shih’s masterful direction and a tight script from Julio Rojas, the audience is swept up in the same dance as Emily and Ismael are, and are left wondering who is to be trusted until the very last moments of Beacon. The line between antagonist and protagonist is constantly blurred and shifting, and is the main way that Beacon sets itself apart from Xavier Gens’ Cold Skin and Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse despite sharing a fair bit of DNA with both.
As with the above two lighthouse-set movies and with stories like this in general, the island and the lighthouse itself is a key element of Beacon and crosses over at times into being a character unto itself. It’s labyrinthine layout seems to shift and change, as does the island on which our pair is confined. The waters surrounding it seem appropriately daunting, and an impenetrable barrier against escape.
The constant tug-of-war of trust and suspicion, camaraderie and disorientation is perfectly played by the soft-spoken, kindly Bichir and the plucky indignation of Telles. Especially the latter performance is nicely nuanced, walking a line between hopeful naivete and shrewd acknowledgement of the danger she faces. The back-and-forth between the pair vacillates uncomfortably between a father-daughter relationship to something more sinister, and perfectly sets up Beacon’s shocking climax and ending.
Roxy Shih, with Beacon, achieves a remarkable feature debut that stands with the burgeoning lighthouse-set horror genre. Though thoroughly modern, it feels like it could take place in almost any era. It’s a perfect chamber piece that manages to use misdirection to keep one guessing right until the film’s final moments. If claustrophobia or the general feeling of being trapped is a particular horror for you, I’d recommend searching out this Beacon.
Roxy Shih’s Beacon was a part of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Midnight programme for 2024.
