Lake Dead (2007)
Your three Spooky Movie Night Hosts have tapped into the After Dark Horrorfest movies in the past and have been pleasantly surprised, so we thought we’d give it another try with this 2007 offering. Well, we’ve learned that not all the “Movies to Die For” are of the same caliber. I personally expected a higher standard and was a bit disappointed with what I saw. This film tries to be original and I suppose that in a very small way it is, but for the most part it will leave most horror fans shaking their heads in disappointment. It’s not a complete wash out, but don’t expect to be blown away. Be ready to recognize elements from “The Hills Have Eyes,” “Wrong Turn,” and the “Home” episode of “The X-Files” television series. You can probably see where this is going. Now I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a fan of most horror films, whether they have a big or small budget, famous or no-name actors. It’s all in what you do with what you have. Some of my favorite movies are the ones with shoe-string budgets with just a handful of actors. I learned that “Lake Dead” had a decent budget, so it seemed that it had quite a bit of potential when compared to other B-grade horror movies. Maybe the catering was really good.
Three sisters learn that a grandfather that they never knew they had has passed away and has left them a motel nestled in a mountain lake area. Against their father’s warning, they decide to take some friends to the lake to check it out so they can decide what to do with the place. That’s when dark secrets are revealed and the horror starts. The girls find out that their family has a dark past and a twisted sense of family pride.
Initially things are a little confusing, as the actors tend to look alike and blend together. That gets resolved quickly though. To the movie’s credit, the first kill is done in a rather creative way, although it seems to be done just for the sake of being creative. It will make you wince. The writers have a target market in mind, as there are more than enough F-bombs dropped in this flick, there are a few gratuitous sex scenes and there’s a drug use scene in the motor home. I guess they felt they had to get all of that in there. And to make it a bona-fide horror movie, there’s some really dumb writing – like the guy swimming in the lake with his wallet (well, it’s really just a big pond, but they couldn’t call it “Pond Dead”). Oh, and the last name of the family? Lake! Duh! Did they really have to do that? It’s about a lake, their last name is Lake, don’t they think we’d be able to follow the theme?
The two main bad guys of the movie are runners-up from the Geico caveman commercials. Really, they are. They’re a couple of inbred, jumpsuit-wearing, Neanderthals who rape and kill the outsiders all in the name of family purity and pride. I can’t really put my finger on it, but they’re a bit distracting for some reason. It might be the jumpsuits, it might be the bad caveman make up, I don’t know. I mean, they do serve their purpose well, but for some reason they just seem a bit out of place.
I give this movie a 4 out of 10 on the horror scale because it does have pretty good camera work throughout the movie. Many scenes are shot during the day – while many horror flicks rely on dark scenes to cover up the bad effects and make up, this one doesn’t try to hide them. The movie has a pretty good pace throughout and you won’t keep looking at the clock. There are a few scenes that stand out and are memorable, like the first kill, as I mentioned, and one with another girl in the woods which I won’t spoil for you. One scene that you won’t forget is a “tender moment” between the family matriarch and the police officer son. Ugh! Don’t say I didn’t warn you! The acting and writing is average. Keep an eye open for the many bugs in this movie. They must have filmed next to a landfill because there are bugs everywhere! The ending is pretty humorous – kudos to the writers for deciding to end it that way. I ended up smiling at the end instead of cringing. Overall it could have been worse, but you’ll probably think like I did; that for being part of the After Dark series it should have been better.
Morbid Mike