"The Lodge" Review

Plot Premise: This film is best experienced if you go in cold (that's not just a weather pun, but an earnest suggestion to not look up anything in-depth about the film because there are certain key plot developments that are best experienced without knowing about them beforehand). Richard Armitage plays Richard Hall, a man who brings his two children and girlfriend on a winter holiday to the family lodge in remote Massachusetts.

The Good: The performances are all strong, particularly Riley Keough, but the style of filmmaking and design of scares is the real star of the show. There's a slow burn and gradual escalation of atmospheric dread. Often times viewers of horror films sit with tension for an explosion via jump-scare but The Lodge instead opts to keep that unsettled feeling throughout the entire film. It's relentless without being overbearing.

The Bad: Once you have time to digest the writing and material, one can make the argument that the film doesn't handle the subject matter of mental illness and trauma as well as the subject matter probably deserves. It's important to take the film for what it is (a compelling work of artistic horror), and not an informational guide to understanding the more severe behaviors associated with and causes of mental illness.

Who This Film Is For: Horror fans! If you're passionate about cinema and the art of filmmaking, it's also worth watching for how technically impressive the film is.