Film Review: Lake Dead (2007)

Review by: Rick Romonawski
Release Date: July 11 2008

Director: George Bessudo Writer: Daniel P. Coughlin (writer)

This was an interesting film that caught me off guard. I expected a movie that was worse than Ghost Lake or Zombie Lake. Boy I couldn't be further from the truth. This movie is about four sisters who inherit the Lake Hotel from their newly found grandfather, their dad did not tell them about him for "security" reasons, and the sisters soon realize that their grandfather was murdered and that there are these men who are trying to kill them.

Let me get started by stating that the story was heavily influenced by a warm house blend of Wrong Turn, The Hills Have Eyes and the Texas Chainsaw. You'll notice why it incorporates these films because of two main concepts presented in this film. One being deformed brothers, who wear jumpsuits, running around and murdering/raping teenagers and the second I won’t say since it might give too much away. What turns this, already milked, story into an original is the twist and subtext of the movie. It can become over the top and even to melodramatic. I could compare this movie to an A&E special or Cold Case reenactment gone horribly wrong.

The acting was good, but in parts. The beginning of the movie seemed like it was an afternoon soap. There were some okay jokes and at points the teens reacted to minor details as being life threatening. However, when the first murder takes place, that's when his TBS drama turns into a Fright Night. When the sisters begin to display real emotion, when the male character becomes the hero and villains become more real. Scares were not big in this movie, but when they did appear, it was okay. What was scary was not only just those deformed Billy brothers but the family in which they come from. Overall, this movie was good for what it was worth. In fact, I sort of like this movie. Sure it had its moments but that’s what makes the movie good, it was a nice attempt and I think it really worked.