“Movies don't scare me. Real life scares me”. - John Carpenter
The Lodge is vaguely reminiscent of Hereditary in the sense that a family is ripped apart by an unspeakable tragedy that the audience doesn't see coming and is left with the aftermath. In this film, it has nothing to do with the paranormal, however. Although it's not spelled out for you immediately. If anything, this is a horror film about consequences of actions, religion, and anger.
One of my favorite young actors is Jaeden Martell (Midnight Special (one of my recent favorite films), both IT films, Apple's Defending Jacob) and he is absolutely heartbreaking here, along with the girl who plays his younger sister, Lia McHugh. Their stepmother is channeled by Riley Keough who many will know from Mad Max: Fury Road, It Comes at Night, and the unexplainable Hold the Dark, and she carries the film straight into the bowels of hell. Veteran screen presences Richard Armitage and Alicia Silverstone are here in small doses as the kids' parents.
Make no mistake, this is dark, disturbing, and challenging horror that some mettle is required for. I'm not saying it's Salo or Cannibal Holocaust, it is not that kind of horror. This is the kind of genre film that seeps in, soaks, and stays. It doesn't like you at all. Elements of The Shining and The Thing (a movie the kids watch with their stepmom) are definitely present here, as The titular lodge is snow bound on the east coast, and the 3 principals are stuck with each other, but this movie wants you to know that evil spirits and aliens aren't necessary for a horror film.
They need not apply here. Bravo to all involved, including writer/directors Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, who get painful, sordid performances out of everyone. There must be a hurt manual with a chapter on the creep factor they used for research. This isn't for everyone. It's a slow burn, but there will be times you want to step on the fuse.
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