The Lodge

When horror movies are bad, they are intolerable.  For me, that includes slasher flicks that solely exist to show blood and guts.  On the other hand, when they appeal to our psychological fears, they can be fascinating.  The Lodge comes from directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala.  They seem to specialize in what aficionados call arthouse horror:  Under the Skin (2013), The Witch (2015), and Midsommar are recent examples.  The genre is not for all tastes but if you enjoyed the Austrian filmmaking duo’s admittedly far superior feature debut Goodnight Mommy (2014) then this is a decent followup to that production.

This is a portrait that capitalizes on the emotional state of a person.  The tale concerns two children Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh).  They have been forced to spend Christmas at the family’s remote chalet in the mountains of Massachusetts with their father Richard (Richard Armitage) and his girlfriend Grace portrayed by an excellent Riley Keough.  The mood is grim because the kids’ mother Laura (Alicia Silverstone) has recently committed suicide upon learning that Richard intends to wed Grace.  While at the cabin, Richard the father responds to a work obligation, insensitively leaving Grace alone with the kids.  Empathy is clearly not one of this guy’s strong suits.  The “evil” stepmother is a trope, but Grace seems nice.  However, the children are understandably antagonistic toward her.  This stranger has ostensibly replaced their mom in their father’s life.  Some additional backstory, Grace was raised within a cult when she was a child.   She happens to be the only survivor of a mass suicide carried out by that group.  The underlying unease — inspired by that disturbing event — plays a significant part in the ensuing drama.   Let’s just say Grace is still dealing with some unresolved issues.

The inability to interact with our fellow man is genuinely lamentable.  As we currently shelter in place for the third month, the horror of social isolation has become a reality.  Whether it’s been enforced upon us by the state (COVID-19) or in a situation in which we have inadvertently placed ourselves (this movie), confinement can divide families.  Stepmom Grace (Riley Keough) is simply trying to coexist with her fiancé’s progeny.  The Lodge also involves physical deprivation.  Their dwelling soon loses power and heat.  That further adds to the ongoing tension.  Is this merely a matter of faulty utilities or is there something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?

Arthouse horror takes its time to progress.  It relies less on violent circumstances and more on a deliberate pace to intensify despair.  What I most appreciate about The Lodge is you can’t predict what’s going to occur at any moment.  The chronicle effectively exploits a creepy and unnerving atmosphere.  I truly admire that quality.  The narrative style captivates the viewer much in the same way that slow-burn storytelling snags an audience.  Plot developments unfold ever so slowly.  These characters aren’t keen on conversation but rest assured it’s all gradually building toward an explosive finale.  Before that happens, the anxiety is nerve-shredding.  I’ve purposely kept the specifics vague because more details would spoil the fun.  However, I will admit the account is seriously flawed.  There are some unexplored ideas the story could have considered.  The Lodge is a film of missed opportunities to be sure.  However, I was captivated throughout the saga and that’s saying something.

02-25-20