A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé’s two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.
Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, who stunned a few years back with the solid Hitchcockian “Goodnight Mommy,” return with their English-language debut, “The Lodge.” I can foresee some people being impatient with its languid, dread-filled pace while others will relish in its patience and attention to detail. I am so thankful for the emergence of intelligent and original art-house horror films the last several years. In the past, the typical horror model had a madman or some abomination on the loose, more of an us vs them mentality. Lately, there aren’t clearly set antagonists or heroes, alternatively, most stories focus on people just trying to do their best in extraordinary circumstances. Countless horror movies open with a tragedy, still an effective trope to set the tone and pave the way for its characters to deal with past trauma. “The Lodge” deals with mental illness, being overzealous in beliefs, and the assumed roles patriarchal institutions expect us to follow.
Riley Keough is one of the most interesting actors to watch and has an impressive track record to boot. She’s already worked with some of the best directors around: Andrea Arnold, Steven Soderbergh, and Lars von Trier. Normally Keough is a supporting player but this time she gets a rewarding leading role. She plays Grace, a newly-appointed stepmother with a very dark past. She was the sole survivor of an infamous Christian cult, which while led by her father, all committed mass suicide. Her boyfriend Richard (Richard Armitage) is in the midst of a very recent separation from his severely depressed wife (Alicia Silverstone). He’s more than ready to move on much to the chagrin of his children Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh). Richard insists that Grace and the children should stay together in the family’s winter lodge to get closer for his comfort and she’ll be handling most of the emotional labor. During their stay, Aidan and Mia do some nightmarish research on their new stepmother, viewing old news reports on the doomed cult. Before long, duty calls and Richard must return to the city which happens to be about a six hours’ drive from the remote property. Things begin to go downhill fast after his departure, a debilitating blizzard forms and menacing events occur.
The small but superb cast features Jaeden Martell, a skilled and very in-demand young actor known for the recent “It” reboots and I really enjoyed his role in “Low Tide” (you can read my review here). Equally well cast is Lia McHugh who plays the young daughter with a perfect balance of naivety and precociousness. Richard Armitage, who did a fantastic turn as the Red Dragon in the sorely missed “Hannibal” TV series, is solid in his minimal role.
Cinematographer Thimios Bakatakis who shot the surreal and absurdly bleak “The Killing of a Sacred Deer,” creatively utilizes the claustrophobic setting. There are many unsettling shots reflecting the cross or objects continuously appearing in threes. I’m so glad there’s a handful of feature directors still opting to shoot on film. Fiala and Franz avoid the haunted house theme park feeling by eliminating jump-scares, instead cleverly opting for taut panning shots which patiently exhibit the terror. A Chekhov’s gun, a creepy gothic painting, and the icy Christmas setting all make for a disquieting experience. Make sure you watch this with someone you trust.
“The Lodge” recently screened at the 2019 Philadelphia Film Festival
