I had really dug this film during early COVID quarantine, when it first made its way onto streaming platforms after a derailed theatrical run. You see, in horror I genuinely enjoy a slow burn, claustrophobic film with decreasing mental stabilities and increasing stakes. Shortly after seeing The Lodge, I had been shamed into a revisionist history of sorts: did I enjoy this film just because I was desperate for quality during a COVID theatrical dry-spell? For the longest time I had thought that answer was in the affirmative. I mean, everyone had told me the script was unbelievable and predictable, forcing the audience to do the heavy lifting. Yet, upon a rewatch I find that to be almost farthest from the truth. I think the audience can only perform heavy lifting when the filmmaking is weak, allows plot gaps, and skimps on character development. While what occurs in The Lodge is shocking, perhaps even maddening, the script so delicately lays a foundation for what motivates these characters and how they carry-out their individual plans. I always say you can so easily pin-point a well-direct film and The Lodge is no different. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala have such a clear directorial style: from a musical score that lurks rather than jumps to cinematography that either hovers above or below its characters, almost refusing to look them in the eyes.
Unease and interpersonal tensions are at the core of The Lodge. While the film ultimately is about Grace Marshall (portrayed by one of nepotism’s finest, Riley Keough) and her attempts to prove her worth as a future stepmother, she is merely a faceless presence for the first quarter of the film. For all we know during the first act, Grace may actually be the stereotypical, villainous stepmother and “other woman.” Her fiancé, Richard, wants to mend any hard feelings or resentment as soon as possible, especially after his ex-wife and mother to his two children committed suicide months prior. His children, however, have their reasons to be jaded and distrustful beyond the suicide of their mother: they believe their father met Grace, the sole-survivor of a religious cult as a child, while conducting research for an upcoming novel on the subject. After an attempt to introduce Grace as his fiancé during Thanksgiving fails, before she even arrives, Richard is determined to force a relationship over the upcoming Christmas holiday. His plan is to bring his new, blended family to their lodge in rural New England. He hopes that when he has to return to Boston for three days to finish a newspaper article, the isolation and holiday can help the three bond more quickly before his return on Christmas day.
While it may be debatable whether one can predict what happens next, or ultimately, how the twist in this film will manifest, the predictability matters little. After all, clues are inserted throughout the film to reinforce the motivations and actions of the characters. This is why the film itself actually does its own heavy lifting: the twist in a lazier filmmakers’ hands may be preposterous and far-fetched, but here it absolutely works due to the layering of clues. Each scene servers a long-term purpose, even if they at first seem stand-alone. Red herrings are abundant: we are left to wonder whether Grace is being haunted by her deceased predecessor; whether her own fragile mental state and unresolved childhood trauma is created a false narrative; or, whether the insidious events are proof of religious beliefs or an elaborate prank. Religion clearly plays a large role in the film, with the children distraughtly questioning whether their mother can enter heaven due to her suicide (further suggesting she may be left lurking over the family) and the cult Grace survived believing eternal atonement for perpetual sin. Any product of a Catholic upbringing will understand the belief around suicide and the infamous guilt over inevitable sin. Personally, I find The Lodge has so many layers despite stripping back the script to the most crucial elements (dialogue is sparse and used only when necessary). The end-product feels like a perfectly curated story, as though the filmmakers had hours of footage and storyboarded the most necessary scenes into a concise film. While perhaps a first-viewing may hold an audience at surface level, I would suggest a re-watch for the doubters to fully immerse themselves well-knowing the twists and turns. Ultimately, The Lodge is only as good as the plot can allow it to be, but it still makes for a solid psychological horror flick.
Rating: 7/10