The Lodge
0.5/4
Starring: Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage, Alicia Silverstone
Rated R for Disturbing Violence, Some Bloody Images, Language and Brief Nudity
I like horror movies. I like the sense of being on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, fearing what is lurking outside the corner of the screen. Or that sense of pure dread of what comes next. Of course, there are movies like "Sinister" or "The Innkeepers" that are so scary that I curse myself for enduring them, until the memory fades and I am thrilled with what the films accomplished.
"The Lodge" falls into none of those categories. This is a vile, contemptible film that trivializes serious issues for cheap thrills and then has the audacity to present itself as art instead of the schlock that it is. Horror films push all kinds of buttons on a person's psyche and emotions. That's their job. But "The Lodge" is reprehensible trash. It's really sick.
Richard (Armitage) has left his wife to marry Grace (Keough). His children, Aidan (Martell) and Mia (McHugh) are offended at the idea, despite his best attempts to get past the hurt they are all experiencing. Grace suggests that while Richard is away on business, she look after them for a couple of days so they can get to know each other. It does not go well. Aidan and Mia are cold towards her, bordering on hostile. Grace has her own demons, as she was the sole survivor of a suicide cult growing up, but apparently she's on the mend. But just when things couldn't get any worse, they do. One morning they wake up with no power, no food, and snowed in. Even worse, Grace's pills are missing. Soon, they begin to doubt whether they are ever going to be rescued. Or if they are even alive.
Riley Keough is a talented actress (see her work as the tough-as-nails Krystal in "American Honey" for an example of her talents) and it will be interesting to see what her career has in store for her. But here she is playing a character that no one should be saddled with. It gradually becomes clear that Grace is severely disturbed, but the film exploits it and trivializes it in the stupidest way possible. The filmmakers can't decide whether they want her to be a tragic figure or a villain. They want it both ways, which results in Grace turning into a caricature.
Her two co-stars, Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh, are boring. They don't have much to do other than act like little cretins towards Grace, who is shy but trying to be nice. I haven't seen McHugh in anything else, but Martell didn't impress as Bill Denborough in the "IT" films or the snotty kid in "Knives Out," and his performance in "The Lodge" doesn't convince me he has any talent. Then there's Richard Armitage, who consistently does some amazingly stupid things. Either Grace is a good actress or Richard is a complete dolt, but any idiot could have seen that leaving her alone with kids would be a bad idea.
The film has two modes: tedious and offensive. The first hour is designed to introduce the characters and generate questions and a palpable sense of dread. It is a colossal failure in all departments. It lacks the atmosphere for the latter and the characters are too boring to care about what is happening to them. The film just isn't eerie enough. We should feel their terror and isolation, but it doesn't come across. The camerawork lacks punch. Long takes and dream sequences/hallucinations (who knows what they are?) can be effective if used right. They are not used right. So what we're left with is watching three characters we don't like grow more and more hostile towards each other. It's uncomfortable without being illuminating or developing the characters. They remain the stick figures they start out as all through the movie. One positive note: it has the curious ability to stop time. Seriously, I checked how much was left numerous times.
With about a half hour left to go, the big twist is revealed. That's when things get sick. Having gone far off the deep end, we are left with characters we hate even more. I won't say what happens so you can be offended by yourself. Or you can just take my word for it. I suppose there's some comfort in the fact that everyone gets what they deserve in the end, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to experience. Even worse, the filmmakers apparently believe that they are making art as opposed to a cheap thriller. Had the tone been less dry and aloof, I might not have cared as much. If you're going to play in this territory, have the decency to be honest about it. There is a cinematic aloofness that feels arrogant rather than artistic.
"The Lodge" is trash. It's almost unwatchable. But what really sucks is just how unpleasant it is. This movie is not fun, scary or entertaining. It's a piece of junk.
Starring: Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage, Alicia Silverstone
Rated R for Disturbing Violence, Some Bloody Images, Language and Brief Nudity
I like horror movies. I like the sense of being on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, fearing what is lurking outside the corner of the screen. Or that sense of pure dread of what comes next. Of course, there are movies like "Sinister" or "The Innkeepers" that are so scary that I curse myself for enduring them, until the memory fades and I am thrilled with what the films accomplished.
"The Lodge" falls into none of those categories. This is a vile, contemptible film that trivializes serious issues for cheap thrills and then has the audacity to present itself as art instead of the schlock that it is. Horror films push all kinds of buttons on a person's psyche and emotions. That's their job. But "The Lodge" is reprehensible trash. It's really sick.
Richard (Armitage) has left his wife to marry Grace (Keough). His children, Aidan (Martell) and Mia (McHugh) are offended at the idea, despite his best attempts to get past the hurt they are all experiencing. Grace suggests that while Richard is away on business, she look after them for a couple of days so they can get to know each other. It does not go well. Aidan and Mia are cold towards her, bordering on hostile. Grace has her own demons, as she was the sole survivor of a suicide cult growing up, but apparently she's on the mend. But just when things couldn't get any worse, they do. One morning they wake up with no power, no food, and snowed in. Even worse, Grace's pills are missing. Soon, they begin to doubt whether they are ever going to be rescued. Or if they are even alive.
Riley Keough is a talented actress (see her work as the tough-as-nails Krystal in "American Honey" for an example of her talents) and it will be interesting to see what her career has in store for her. But here she is playing a character that no one should be saddled with. It gradually becomes clear that Grace is severely disturbed, but the film exploits it and trivializes it in the stupidest way possible. The filmmakers can't decide whether they want her to be a tragic figure or a villain. They want it both ways, which results in Grace turning into a caricature.
Her two co-stars, Jaeden Martell and Lia McHugh, are boring. They don't have much to do other than act like little cretins towards Grace, who is shy but trying to be nice. I haven't seen McHugh in anything else, but Martell didn't impress as Bill Denborough in the "IT" films or the snotty kid in "Knives Out," and his performance in "The Lodge" doesn't convince me he has any talent. Then there's Richard Armitage, who consistently does some amazingly stupid things. Either Grace is a good actress or Richard is a complete dolt, but any idiot could have seen that leaving her alone with kids would be a bad idea.
The film has two modes: tedious and offensive. The first hour is designed to introduce the characters and generate questions and a palpable sense of dread. It is a colossal failure in all departments. It lacks the atmosphere for the latter and the characters are too boring to care about what is happening to them. The film just isn't eerie enough. We should feel their terror and isolation, but it doesn't come across. The camerawork lacks punch. Long takes and dream sequences/hallucinations (who knows what they are?) can be effective if used right. They are not used right. So what we're left with is watching three characters we don't like grow more and more hostile towards each other. It's uncomfortable without being illuminating or developing the characters. They remain the stick figures they start out as all through the movie. One positive note: it has the curious ability to stop time. Seriously, I checked how much was left numerous times.
With about a half hour left to go, the big twist is revealed. That's when things get sick. Having gone far off the deep end, we are left with characters we hate even more. I won't say what happens so you can be offended by yourself. Or you can just take my word for it. I suppose there's some comfort in the fact that everyone gets what they deserve in the end, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant to experience. Even worse, the filmmakers apparently believe that they are making art as opposed to a cheap thriller. Had the tone been less dry and aloof, I might not have cared as much. If you're going to play in this territory, have the decency to be honest about it. There is a cinematic aloofness that feels arrogant rather than artistic.
"The Lodge" is trash. It's almost unwatchable. But what really sucks is just how unpleasant it is. This movie is not fun, scary or entertaining. It's a piece of junk.
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