The Lodge
Neon
Reviewed by: Tami Smith, Film Reviewer for Shockya
Grade: B-
Director: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Screenwriter: Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz, Sergio Casci
Cast: Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Richard Armitage, Alicia Silverstone
Release Date: February 7th, 2020

The Lodge starts with a “bang” when Richard (Richard Armitage) tells Laura (Alicia Silverstone) that he would like to finalize their divorce, since he plans to marry his girlfriend Grace (Riley Keough). She smiles politely and says: “Sure”. Laura’s behavior changes dramatically after returning home. While sitting at a dining room table and drinking a glass of red wine she puts a gun in her mouth and blows her brains out.

Richard, though, is “a man with a plan”, so after six months he is ready to marry Grace. There is a little problem though. Richard and Laura were married for fifteen years and had two kids: a fourteen-year old Adian (Jaeden Martel) and a ten-year old Mia (Lia McHugh). To put it mildly the kids do not like Grace and Adian calls her a “psychopath”. Grace was a member of a religious cult, being the sole survivor of a ritualistic suicide. Knowing Grace’s history Richard wants the kids to “bond” with her and arranges for a Christmas celebration in his isolated ski chalet. A short time after arriving to their destination Richard leaves the three to sort-things-out while promising to return in a few days.

Since The Lodge is a horror film a Christmas celebration will become a disaster, and no effort by Richard will change the final outcome. Grace’s little Maltese dog will disappear; electricity, hot water and phones will stop functioning, and even food will become scarce.

Though the acting by Riley Keough as Grace, Jaeden Martell as Adian, Lia McHugh as Mia and Richard Armitage as Richard are spot-on, the drama drags for one-hundred-eight long minutes and moves at a slow pace. Alicia Silverston is given short screen time in the underdeveloped role of Laura.

Outdoor photography was done expertly in Quebec, Canada, by Thimios Bakatakis, showing the desperation of people stuck in deep snow country with no way out.

108 minutes Rated: R © Tami Smith, Film Reviewer

Story: C+
Acting: B
Technical: B+
Overall: B-