One strong element of the horror genre has been the tragic story of how the monster becomes a monster, the one that lets us sympathize with the rare person who embraces the macabre. This film does that in a unique way, and in the style of those patient character sketches that are more common in European films than American ones.
In its eclectic nature, the movie raises questions of personal identity as well as any P. K. Dick story, and picks up bits of folk tale, period piece, and fantasy genres. All of this places demands on the sensitivity of the viewer that are ultimately well rewarded, but alas, those demands are beyond some of the viewers who seem to have expected a classic evil-witch-in-the-woods horror tale, and when disappointed, summarily downvoted the film.
This is an Impressionist painting, not a traditional portrait. Look at like you would a Picasso, Dali, or Miro, and you'll see the wonder in it.