Things don't go well for Grace Marshall played by Riley Keough in this "chilling" (I'm so sure, so many other reviewers are going to use that) horror film The Lodge. From the directors of Goodnight Mommy comes the story of a Dad forcing his children, older brother Aiden played by Jaeden Martell and little sister Mia played by Lia McHugh, to hang out in a cabin around Christmas time with their soon to be Step-Mom. Things don't go well.
The movie takes it's time and builds up us ever meeting our main character Grace. We see hear as a problem for the family and having her own as she is the only survivor of a cult that committed mass suicide.She is the only survivor.
Alicia Silverstone plays the original Mom and you can barely tell it's her. I didn't realize it was until the credits. She's in it for a little bit.
Then our focus shifts to Grace, the kids, The Lodge and a small annoying dog. It's a great spooky atmosphere for sure. Kids all alone with a woman they hate, isolated. Dad heads back to work after a day or two and it's that awful awkwardness that comes in that really sets the mood. Then things start getting weirder and weirder and Grace's past with the cult sets in as does the snow.
There are some great dream like sequences of Grace's past problems and something always underneath her skin that comes out in the end. It takes a lot of build up to get there, but that's the best part of the horror film.
Going in, I wanted to love The Lodge as a new horror gem from all the hype it had in the horror community, but it never strays from being a watchable, well-made horror film. Nothing new or clever. Just a passable grade. It doesn't stand out or having anything that memorable.
*It's a bit odd it waited until after Christmas to come out as it's technically a Christmas/winter film. I wonder what behind the scenes reason it couldn't try and cash in on December's horror audience.
The Lodge is out in select theaters Feb 7
