The Lodge

I have only one problem with The Lodge and it’s very similar to the one I had with the directorial début of the duo Franz-Fiala, Goodnight Mommy, I also found it predictable. Though not after five minutes, like the previous one, but somewhere around the middle, at most, it was already clear what was happening and where it was going. And again, I’m not entirely sure whether the directors expect that the viewer already suspects the point (some of the clues are way too obvious!), or the way the cards are shown in the end is really meant as a surprise. Nevertheless, it is better than the previous film conceptually, and the horror aspect also works better; for most of the run, the psycho-horror-winter atmosphere is firing on all cylinders. On the other hand, the uncompromising fifteen minutes in the end are worth five stars. I enjoyed it, but for the next film I would like the directors to either bluff a little more ingeniously or to show their cards right from the beginning :) #KVIFF2019 (30/06/2019)

After a year's wait, the anticipated The Lodge is finally available and it is, as expected, decent psychological terror. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala serve up a similarly tuned film to their debut Goodnight Mommy that is is also close to Hereditary, so if you didn't like either of the aforementioned, you're out of luck. The film moves forward at a slow pace, playing a paranoid, chilling psychological game with the viewer that works solidly, especially in the last 40 minutes. It feels very intimate, but the atmosphere, the chilly setting and the performances are all very decent. It's more of a psychological thriller with horror elements, which is welcome in the current horror crisis, but I reckon quite a few viewers will be grumbling. Story****, Action>No, Humor>No, Violence*, Entertainment***, Music***, Visuals***, Atmosphere****, Suspense***. 7/10. (28/04/2020)

Artificial, that’s the first word that comes to mind when thinking about The Lodge. From the plot to the characters to the atmosphere – perhaps it’s well made and interestingly escalated, but it couldn’t be more artificial. Every good idea is followed by several dull shots that only serve to extend the runtime without moving anything forward – compared with The Shining (with which it has several similarities), it’s very weak. But Riley Keough was very good again. 60% (08/05/2020)

Sur le plan technique, The Lodge est superbement filmé (le caméraman Thimios Bakatakis est un maître). L’ambiance d’horreur est bonne, le cadre du paysage enneigé convient bien et le suspense est bien construit. Par contre, l’intrigue est cousue de fil blanc et on parvient assez vite à déchiffrer l’énigme pendant que celle-ci évolue vers son dénouement. Cet aspect ne m’a pas spécialement dérangé, sauf qu’on ne comprend pas complètement ce qui devait être la cible de cette terreur psychologique et pourquoi les implications possibles n’avaient pas été calculées d’avance. Mais je ne vais pas m’appesantir là-dessus ni dévoiler les secrets du film. L'un dans l'autre, ça m’a plu. C’est adroitement filmé et Riley Keough est phénoménale – mignonne et effrayante à la fois. C'est un film d'horreur que je recommande chaudement. [KVIFF 2019] (01/07/2019)

Plutôt un thriller avec des éléments d'horreur qu'un véritable film d'horreur. Une histoire psychologique prometteuse se déroulant entre réalité, rêves et hallucinations, qui démarre lentement avant de progressivement jouer avec les attentes, annonçant une conclusion mystérieuse/terrifiante percutante. Cependant, le dénouement final est étonnamment rationnel et ancré dans la réalité, ce qui jette le doute sur de nombreux hasards et moments improbables qui ont favorisé les héros du film. Le film captivera certainement par son ambiance, les performances des acteurs et la construction du doute et de l'incertitude, mais sa moralité n'est pas suffisamment satisfaisante pour combler cette attente. (06/07/2019)