The Lodge Will Break You Emotionally
The Lodge was directed by Austrian filmmakers Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, and stars Riley Keough as a young woman with a very troubled past who is about to become step-mother to a couple of kids who are going through a pretty rough and tragic time. Their dad decides to spend the Christmas holidays up in the Washington mountains, where he hopes that they’ll connect with Grace (the future step-mom) and will accept her as a part of their family. Unfortunately, he gets called away for work for a couple of days and Grace decides she can handle the kids alone for that time. While alone some pretty disturbing things begin happening at this lodge in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a snowstorm, and there may or may not be some nefarious things happening, including some hidden evil resurfacing from Grace’s past.
So, what did I think about this movie…for starters, let me explain the evening; it was a live Q&A night with the directors and the young stars (livestream from the premiere in New York). The directors came out to introduce the movie, and the first things they said kind of set the tone for the rest of the night. They first apologized, and then said we would be having an “unfun” night. Well…they weren’t wrong. This is not a fun movie. This is not a happy movie. The best way I can describe it is a very tragic movie. The things each character is dealing with is very much based on realism, and I think this was one of its strengths and a way for the audience to really connect with the characters. They felt like people I knew, and the things they did throughout, of which I won’t ruin because you really need to see it, and the ways they interacted with one another, felt very authentic. The cast was very minimal. You’ve got this young woman, Grace, at this lodge that is trapped in a snowstorm, with her fiancé’s two kids, and these kids obviously don’t like her right from the get-go, so there’s this incredible tension between her and them. The kids are pretty good, like you’ll definitely recognize the character Aiden, since he’s played by Jaeden Martell, who was most recently in IT Chapter One/IT Chapter Two as young Bill.
Outside of the performances, the setting itself is one that felt claustrophobic and completely isolated to me. The lodge itself is an incredible setting, very beautiful to behold. But, once you’re inside, it has a completely different feel. It felt dreary, it felt scary to be in there. Combined with the unsettling feeling of dread, the winter storm outside, the danger that could be creeping around every corner, this was one place I would never wish to visit.
The way it was filmed was fine, the cinematographer had some scenes where they focused a lot on people’s expressions. There were a lot of close-ups, probably to do exactly what I just said; to show us the way they reacted. The musical score was kind of all over the place for me, but I don’t think it’s a deal-breaker for this kind of movie. The plot itself was unraveled so damn slowly, but in a good way. There’s a twist they reveal near the third act that I sort of saw coming, but the results of that twist erupt in a violent way that I admit I was not prepared for.
In summary, if you’re a fan of slow-burn psychological thrillers/horrors ala Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) then this is a definite watch for you. The film sets its tone less than 5 minutes in and it does not let go. It shredded my nerves to pieces to the point where I felt an icy cold grip on my spine. It brought up an emotional response (I wanted to cry) that was very reminiscent of Aster’s most recent work, and for that I cannot recommend it more. Please check this one out when it hits theaters, it really is an amazing modern thriller.
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