Wicker Review: Cinematic Beauty Fails to Save Incoherent 17th Century Fantasy

One reviewer called the recent release “Wicker” a “real chore,” a verdict that lands hard given the film’s high production values. John O’Neill, a weekly critic based in Allen Park, published his assessment on November 4, 2026. He stated that while the movie possesses good photography, the storyline is ridiculous and cannot support the visual assets. The review suggests that the trailers lured audiences in with scenic imagery, but the narrative fails to deliver a coherent story.

The film is set in an English village during an unspecified period that appears to be the 17th Century. It blends fantasy, comedy, and drama. The characters do not have personal names. Instead, they are identified by their roles in the community. Olivia Coleman plays the Fisherwoman, a lonely spinster who is mocked by her neighbors. Gustav Lindh portrays the Bottle Washer, and Marla Siu plays the Tailor’s Wife’s Sister. Peter Dinklage takes the role of the Basket Maker. Elizabeth Debicki is the Tailor’s Wife, and Richard E. Grant plays the Doctor, who is also the father of the Tailor’s Wife.

The plot centers on a community ritual. After the marriage of the Bottle Washer and the Tailor’s Wife’s Sister, the Fisherwoman is declared the next woman to marry. This announcement causes cruel laughter in the village. Desperate for love, the Fisherwoman hires the Basket Maker to create a husband. He agrees to the task and instructs her to meet him at the church the following month. When she arrives, a living man woven like a basket is present. This figure becomes the Wicker Husband.

The marriage proceeds, and the Wicker Husband proves to be attentive and loving. He performs major repairs around the Fisherwoman’s cottage, including fixing the roof, repairing a broken bed, and tilling the ground. His helpfulness draws attention from the village women. The men in the village become resentful of his example, contrasting it with their own boorish treatment of their wives. This social shift creates tension and gossip within the community.

The Tailor’s Wife begins to plant doubts in the Fisherwoman’s mind regarding the Wicker Husband’s fidelity. Meanwhile, the Bottle Washer tries to emulate the Wicker Husband to please his wife. He attempts to mend their roof but falls through it, sustaining serious injuries. The Doctor attempts to save him but fails. The Bottle Washer dies, leaving the Tailor’s Wife’s Sister heartbroken. At the funeral, the Wicker Husband embraces the widow, which provokes jealousy in the Fisherwoman.

The storyline becomes more fantastical when the Tailor’s Wife’s Sister asks the Basket Maker to create a baby for her. He agrees. When the wicker baby appears, the Tailor’s Wife interprets it as proof of the Wicker Husband’s lechery. The Fisherwoman is also persuaded of his unfaithfulness. She throws a burning lamp at him, causing him to run into the woods on fire. The Wicker Husband recovers, and the Basket Maker arranges a reconciliation between the couple.

The Fisherwoman finds the wicker baby in the woods. She and the Wicker Husband embrace the child as their own. O’Neill describes these events as “all too fantastic.” He notes that the film has not even reached its climax yet. In the final scene, the Basket Maker announces his retirement. He proposes to create a Wicker Woman for the person who gives him the best going-away present.

O’Neill compared the film to a “late Medieval Star Trek,” a comparison he noted was not intended as praise. He blamed himself for being attracted to the photography in the trailers. He advises viewers to see the movie at their own risk. The review was part of his weekly column for the Macomb Daily. The film is currently in theaters in the region.