Inspired by the 1958 film of the same name, Lake of Death follows a group of friends who revisit the remote cabin by a lake where one of their own died the previous year. The victim, Bjørn, was the twin brother of the owner of the cabin, Lillian, a young woman who has been distraught ever since. The lake itself has a notorious history and is linked to several deaths, including a local legend that had a young man murder his wife and her lover. What was intended as a way to say a final goodbye to their fallen friend, soon takes a sinister turn when strange things begin happening.
Having not seen the original Norwegian film upon which Lake of Death is inspired by, it’s rather difficult to say how this film compares, but in terms of making it modern, there isn’t a great deal on show. The only way in which the audience know that this isn’t some period piece is that one of the group – Bernhard – is making a paranormal podcast about the lake’s spooky history. The same character operates as the comic relief and frequently channels his inner Randy from Scream as he spouts lines of dialogue from memorable genre films. Were it not for his inclusion, it would be all too easy to assume that it was set someplace between the 50’s and 80’s; the fashion is nondescript, and there’s no glaringly modern technology on display. Rather than give the film the effortless timeless feel that will keep audiences entertained for years a la It Follows, it instead just causes a point of frustration. If we don’t have an idea of when the events are set, it’s hard to know what methods our group could be utilising to get away.
The narrative is very much a slow burn, though it’s so slow that the burn pretty much dies out after the first thirty minutes. There’s no sense of urgency at all to the film or even any acknowledgment from our cast of characters as to what is happening. It’s a classic example of a film in which nothing really happens, scary or otherwise. The traditional cabin in the woods narrative is missing; the plot seems to be aiming for a more enigmatic tale, but the intrigue is never really there. Our characters lack depth and development. Usually, films set in this type of locale have the classic stereotypes inhabiting them. Were that to be the case here, it would be welcome as we might actually know something about them. Instead, the information presented about them all, is flimsy, with no one getting any kind of genuine character development. Not much going on, combined with come rather wishy-washy characters, makes for rather uninspired viewing. All of the characters just seem to drift through the situation without being fully engaged. Their detachment reinforces the audiences and many will struggle to pay full attention for the duration.
On the positive side, the cinematography is beautiful; there’s plenty of lush countryside vistas to please the eyes. There’s also the titular lake, which looks way more idyllic and serene than it does evil and sinister. The film does wonders to encourage holiday makers to go explore the beauty the land has to offer. Everything is shot to give the appearance and feel of a fairy-tale or oil painting. It makes for beautifully romanticised viewing but contrasts with the story the film is potentially trying to convey. Sadly, pretty visuals cannot save a watery plot.
Lake of Death arrives on Shudder on 16th July 2020.
Lake of Death
Summary
A film that is beautiful to behold, but lacks any decent plot to make it remotely remarkable.
