Review: Lake of Death Immerses Viewers into Murky Waters

Shudder’s latest all new original film will drop on the streaming platform this Thursday. Lake of Death is a Norwegian horror film written and directed by Nini Bull Robsahm.

The film stars Iben Akerlie, Sophia Lie, Jacob Andersen Schøyen, Elias Munk and Jonathan Harboe. The director drew inspiration from Norway’s popular 1942 novel (and later film adaptation) of the same name. The film, (De dødes tjern) is credited with sparking the country’s interest in horror. Robsahm shot Lake of Death on stunning 35mm and brought on Academy Award-winner Bob Murawski (Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell, The Hurt Locker) to edit the film.

The film follows Lillian after her twin brother goes missing from the family cabin the year before. Now, she and four friends travel there to have one last stay before selling the place. Lillian starts sleepwalking, things go missing, and no can trust each other. Can they solve the mystery before falling victim to the Lake of Death?

Lake of Death is a film about secrets that uses many common horror themes in a playful way. It  will keep you guessing as to what exactly is going on with twins Lillian and Bjørn. We get little snippets of information as the story unfolds but we’re never really sure what is happening. And there are plenty of elements introduced that muddy the waters along the way. The camera movement, shot composition and editing only add to the mysterious lore of the lake. 

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Overall, Lake of Deatth is a thought provoking, confusing, mysterious film that missed the mark for me. Maybe it’s a cultural difference, but if you call the movie Lake of Death, I need more death before the last 30 minutes of the film. If you’re like me you’ll stick with it because you simply just need to know what is going on. However, the ending left me with more questions.

If you like movies where you need to figure it out, and maybe decide for yourself, then give it a watch. It is interesting to see a Norwegian film with so many American Horror film references included within the dialogue of the characters. It truly speaks to the worldwide appeal of horror films and the cross cultural reach they have. 

You can check out the trailer for Lake of Death below and the film hits Shudder on July 16. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for more of all things horror. Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts on Lake of Death!