Wicker Movie Review (2026): Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson directed & adapted the romantic fantasy film “Wicker“, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2026 and takes us to a confidently odd, darkly playful film that presents the perfect blend of old-fashioned fairytale aesthetics with modern, adult commentary. The film has Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård in a story that uses fantasy to examine marriage, desire, power, and emotional equality.
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Baapofmovies.com Rating: 4/5
- Sundance Film Festival Premiere on: January 24, 2026
- Director: Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson
- Stars: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage and Elizabeth Debicki.
Wicker Story and Setting: A Husband Made to Order
Wicker takes us to a vaguely 1600s-inspired world that belongs to no specific place or time. It unfolds in a rural village that is governed by rigid customs and deeply ingrained patriarchy. People are named only by their professions, and their rituals are very strange and unquestioned. The magic here is treated with casual belief.
Olivia Colman plays Fisherwoman, who is a solitary and socially marginal figure who commissions a husband from the mysterious Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage). It is then followed by a towering wicker man that is played by Skarsgård. Skarsgård walks, speaks, loves, and serves as it carves for perfection. His arrival sets the tone, and it disrupts the village’s fragile social balance and goes on to expose jealousy, repression, and marital dissatisfaction among its residents.
Wicker Performances: Anchored by Colman and Skarsgård
Olivia Colman has shown her class. She has again proved why she is still one of the most compelling actors working today. She is seen in the role of Fisherwoman, and she did it with complete emotional restraint that allowed vulnerability to surface gradually as the character risks intimacy after years of self-reliance.
Alexander Skarsgård’s portrayal as Wicker Husband is also praiseworthy, and it is very unsettling. His tireless devotion is idealized to an almost satirical degree, and it works very well to raise questions about agency and emotional labor. Elizabeth Debicki adds sharp texture as the imperious Tailor’s wife, but she deserved much more exposure to express social entitlement.
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What Works in Wicker
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- The film is supported by some of the strong central performances through Colman’s emotionally grounded portrayal.
- The film takes the route of bold 18+ humour thanks to the frank discussions of romance, marriage, and desire.
- Inventive world-building presents the perfect balance of folklore, satire, and social realism.
- It provides sharp social commentary on unequal partnerships and patriarchal norms.
- Wicked has very strong striking visuals due to Lol Crawley’s saturated cinematography and Renátó Cseh’s detailed production design.
- Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s confident direction that perfectly balances whimsy and bite without tonal collapse
What Could Have Been Better in Wicker
- There is an unresolved moral ambiguity around the wicker husband’s free will, which can get very frustrating for the fans.
- Romance Feels Programmed at Times due to the Transactional Origin of the Relationship
- It has an uneven final act, where the film tries to linger for too long to underline its lesson.
- Thinly sketched supporting characters that function more as symbols than people
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Themes and Craft: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups
Technically, the film is polished and cohesive. On Cah, notice perfection in costume design and musical score. Every element reinforces its carefully curated tone. Wilson and Fischer did a good job to maintain strong control that allows the film to feel playful without becoming shapeless.
Final Verdict
All in all, Wicker takes us to a very smart, provocative, and visually rich film that reflects uncomfortable truths about love and power. Its ending overstays slightly, and its ethical questions remain deliberately unsettled, but thanks to the film’s humanity and wit, it doesn’t really leave a lasting impression.
Wicker is a whimsical and cutting fable that presents the perfect balance of charms, challenges, and it quietly provokes long after it ends.
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