The Lodge

"The longer 'The Lodge' rolls along, the sheer skilfulness of the execution — the precise manipulation of the audience’s fears — becomes so impressive that one is tempted to simply succumb to its cold, cruel efficiency. " 

"[It] is atmospheric and intriguing enough to appeal to more adventurous viewers. Still, it’s too much of a low-key mixed bag to repeat the significant popular success of (...) 'The Witch' and 'Hereditary'." 

"While the filmmakers' control of mood, menacing atmosphere and unsettling spatial dynamics remains arresting, their story sense grows shaky in a chiller that starts out strong but becomes meandering and repetitive." 

"Quite reminiscent of the threat lurking in 'The Shining'. It’s a relentless, mind-bending psychological nightmare in which the threat of demons from one’s past are always lurking." 

"[It] has plenty of haunting images, but this time, they grow tiresome." 

"[It] starts subtle, with vexing sound design and a few eerie shots (...) but on a dime, it spirals into outright insanity, taking turn after shocking turn, leaving the audience out of breath (…) Rating: ★★★★½ (out of 5)" 

"The film’s inevitable nosedive into terror and madness feels contrived and unnatural. It misses the flash of inspiration that made Goodnight Mommy so hard to shake, positing these filmmakers as more genre-inflected successors to Haneke and Lanthimos."