The Lodge

It is meant to be a suspenseful horror film, but the story turns out not scary In fact, the story makes me really angry. It is very cruel, and I have no sympathy for the people who have caused this pain.

I've given this a six because we were both effectively creeped out and very impressed with cinematography and the film's immediacy for the front half. The key plot point of why the Dad left his kids in the situation he did wasn't credible but I was willing to go with the premise...up to a point.

I lost confidence in the film's direction when the "mystery" began to be explained. It felt as though the writers decided there HAD to be a violent resolution to the story (and somewhat of a nod to the morbid religiosity that had been pointed to.)

We were a little disgusted with a pat ending after such early promise of something different. I also get tired of films where someone takes it out on an innocent animal to create fear and foreshadow things are going to get really bad for the humans.

I am not surprised at all at the negative reviews. This movie starts well, sets up the story well and then falls flat so hard it's like taking the popcorn out of the oven as soon as one pops - it smells nice, but in reality you're left with only hard, tasteless kernels.

Let's address the elephant in the room. This is NOT an intelligent movie. However, it does have enough pretentious cinematography to make some people think it is. That being said I am a fan of said cinematography AS A SET UP, but not as your entire substance. I have no idea why some people are calling this innovative as it simply isn't. Long drawn out shots of a darkened empty hallway or a window while someone frantically plucks at an untuned violin and radio-filtered whispers is neither ground-breaking not original. Yes, it's uncomfortable so overdoing it will elicit an emotional reaction, which some people mistake for the effect of good writing.

Now, beyond the elephant. The story goes absolutely nowhere. If the movie is original with anything it's that the ending is so mediocre and so little attempt has been made to make it interesting that it's a rarity in the genre. If you know there is no twist ending you can guess the finish a good 15 minutes after the word go. The characters are profoundly unlikable aside from the dad, who appears briefly at the beginning and the end. There is "creepy" scenes which go nowhere and have absolutely no explanation, nor do they contribute to the plot (I am looking at you 100 snow angels).

That being said I do appreciate movies which try to at least get part of the equation right and this one, as stated above, has a good first part. Now, if only movie-makers learned that you need to know how to finish a story too. So, while I wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it, if you're into eating only the first couple of popcorns of the bunch and being disappointed by the rest, go for it. Just be warned - the moment you start asking yourself "ok so where is this all going" is the moment when you know the movie is well past its peak".

I attended the east coast premiere of "The Lodge" a few weeks ago and can say it will most likely be 2020's most polarizing and divisive horror release.

If you've seen Franz & Fiala's last film, "Goodnight Mommy," you'll have an idea of what to expect in terms of tone and themes. The cinematography is breathtaking, and Riley Keough's performance is unbelievable. Like "Mommy" the central characters are two siblings who are up against some sort of unknown/unstable maternal presence while existing in isolation. Instead of a vast, lonely European farm, "The Lodge" features exactly what the title suggests -- a mountain lodge in the middle of nowhere. It's so well done that you can almost feel the icy frost in the theater as the film progresses.

Franz & Fiala take a lot of cues from Ari Aster, ESPECIALLY "Midsommar," in depicting sudden tragedy and brutal, existential grief that consistently drips off the screen. Additionally, there are underlying themes of mental illness and psychosis that are done really well and tactfully -- although I might add it may not seem so at first. Sorry if that's cryptic, I just don't want to give any spoilers. The ending will knock you on your ass. I couldn't move after the screening, I was frozen for half the credit roll, and couldn't stop thinking about it for days.

I highly recommend "The Lodge" for fans of Aster's work, or if you liked "Goodnight Mommy" and want more of the same slow-burn insanity.

This film was pretty amazing cautionary tale of messing with the wrong person. I can't believe so many bad reviews? I find that younger viewers don't enjoy horror films that make you feel dread or build dark sense of mood. To do that In a film takes time to get to know characters and developing a story. It's definitely not for anyone with a short attention span that needs a jump scare every 5 mins to keep your attention. I feel films like The Lodge and Midsommar are the new school of horror films that keep you thinking long after the credits roll. It's a style that's definitely not for everyone. In a way these horror films are all grown up and not like anything else out there. It's about time horror went in a new direction.