Lake of Death (2019)

Lake of Death (2019)

Dir- Nini Bull Robsahn

In many horror films, it is common to use isolated settings to set up events that will lead to a tragic outcome. A house on the lake offers a seemingly tranquil location, and quite a number of movies have made use of this setting. The Lake of Death is based on a 1942 novel titled De dødes tjern that inspired a 1958 Norweigian film Lake of the Dead. 

Twin siblings are shown making a pact with the young woman Lillian (Iben Akerlie), revealing she will be leaving to be with her boyfriend. Shortly afterward, her brother Bjorn (Patrick Walshe McBride) disappears with Lillian returning a year later with friends to spend one last weekend before selling the family cabin. The trip reveals her inner demons and the guilt that is felt when she learns of a diary hidden in the basement. Her friends' fate may be at risk as she encounters phantoms that may or may not be related to the lake and the cabin. 

Lake of Death is a slow-moving story with a predictable plot; the movie certainly does borrow from other horror films set in the woods with one of the characters even mentioning a few of them by name. The film does have beautiful scenery, and the setting is perfect for isolation-themed horror movies. Still, the script suffers from a lack of action and its derivative plot that tosses some promising ideas but fails to deliver on some of the mysteries.

Lake of Death isn't a total waste; the cast is believable with Ms. Akerlie portraying Lillian in a sympathetic, almost catatonic manner. The other character of note is the obsessed horror podcaster Bernard (Jakob Schøyen Andersen). He injects a bit of meta-humor that could have made it more interesting if it was a dark comedy. 

2.5 Stars Out of Five