Sage and Diego, played by Maddie Hasson (Mr Mercedes) and Marco Pigossi, turn up at a lovely house which they've rented for the weekend next to Bone Lake. It's an idyllic situation and they're looking forward immensely to their romantic getaway, during which Diego plans to 'pop the question' to Sage, ring at the ready. Diego is an aspiring writer, currently teaching to make ends meet and financially supported by Sage, who is quietly becoming a little weary of the burden.
It all gets a bit complicated when, shortly after their arrival (and an initiation ceremony on the rug), another couple turns up. Will and Cin, played by Alex Roe and Andra Nechita. It becomes apparent that there's been a double-booking by the agency. Awkward exchanges take place on the porch as they try to work out a solution. The nearest hotel is 50 miles away, so after much conversation, they figure the house is large enough for them all to have their own space. Besides, they reason that even if they went to a hotel, they’d still be amongst strangers, so they decide to press on together.
As they explore the house, they find three padlocked doors but, otherwise, everything they could need. Will is a talented cook and they have plenty of booze. We spend some time with the four of them - sometimes the two women, sometimes the two men, and sometimes the full group - as they soon realise their plan for staying separate has gone out the window and they're actually enjoying the foursome.
However, all is not quite as it seems, and it's difficult to go any further into the plot without throwing in spoilers. But that is the setup. They do discover the location is called Bone Lake for a reason - in the past, a serial killer had been dumping bodies in the water, and one day, many of them washed up on the shore! Still, the history doesn't seem to unduly spook them enough to stop enjoying their stay.
The story unfolds at a good pace as reveals emerge regarding the characters' backgrounds and the house’s secrets. It feels as though it’s intended to be something of an erotic thriller, but it doesn’t dwell on that for long - that becomes more of a side issue. There's a mounting anxiety as tension builds over the 90-minute runtime however, moving from the cosy, safe, friendly early stages into frantic thrills later on.
The four players do a decent enough job of portraying their characters convincingly, especially Hasson as the lead. The 'off the grid' setting adds to the feeling of claustrophobia, limiting escape routes for anyone wanting to flee and the direction creates a moody, dark atmosphere. The cinematography is effective too - the camera often follows characters voyeuristically through the long corridors and the exterior shots of the lakeside location are excellent.
There is some gore later on - that's as close as I'll get to spoilers - but the plot does weave through some twists and turns that you’ll probably see coming. Refreshingly, there aren’t any silly jump-scares to shatter the audience's nerves. It's a stylish, capable piece of entertainment, and I enjoyed the ride. It’s available now in the UK on several streaming services.
No comments:
Post a Comment