The Lodge (2019) takes its time to bother the hell out of you
The slow burn is real.
Directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz (something called Goodnight to Mommy I'm curious about)
Written by Sergio Casci (American Cousins), Veronika Franz, and Severin Fiala (I talked about them)
Starring Riley Keough (Elvis's granddaughter), Jaeden Martell (Stuttering Bill), Lia McHugh (some kid I hope gets good roles)
Deliberate horror creeps back into theaters once in a while, but lately we have gotten several. Heredity, LIghthouse, and Gretel & Hansel proved audiences will watch a slow build to a creepy outcome. The Lodge takes that and runs with it, or walks or whatever, down to a horrific end that should be talked about more.
A no-good dad takes his fiance Grace and his kids out to their lodge for a bonding trip. Then he has to work, leaving Grace in charge of Aidan and Mia. Everything goes fine until a snowstorm hits, they are isolated and trapped in the cold and dark, and Grace's past comes to haunt her.
Overall, this movie wins. The slow burn is real, but it gives us a chance to see where everybody stands. Grace struggles to connect with the kids, the kids push back, and the dad just fucks off because dad's in these stories are useless and sure. The view inside the claustrophobic lodge builds until, like Grace, we get hit with a confusing set of events.
The payoff of the story is both underwhelming and yet perfect in its horror. Without giving too much away, don't fuck with crazy people. Maybe that's the wrong message to send out into the world, that all those that are damaged are ready and willing to lash out, but it worked in The Shining. The main difference between this and that ultimate cabin fever movie is the sympathy we feel. The lodge as a place might be wearing Grace down, but the events that occur cause way more connection with her to the detriment of the children in her care.
A solid horror movie, but one that will probably be forgotten because of its overused subject matter. Plus, as I write this, I'm 60 days into a lockdown due to a pandemic, so maybe not the best thing for me to consume.