The Legend of Lake Hollow

Gathering together at a remote cabin, a group of friends decide to catch up while they stay there which soon devolves into a series of odd encounters around the area when they notice something odd on the local trail cameras, eventually revealing the unnatural threat in the woods with them.

This was a wholly underwhelming and barely watchable genre effort. Among the main problems with this one is the wholly understated and sluggish pacing that never allows the film to generate any kind of interest in anything it does. The whole idea of the group coming out to the woods and going through a series of strange occurrences while they stay there serves as a fine starting point for these kinds of films to get something going, yet there's just nothing going on here that manages to build any kind of fear or suspense involving the different events here. The main focus is on the group trying to get to know each other or spend more time dealing with the potential romance between everyone that there's so little of any interest for such long stretches of the film it's entirely possible to look away for minutes on end listening to blandly delivered dialog without missing anything. It also doesn't help that so much of the running time is spent with these factors that when it gets to the horror segments there's so little of it present that none of it makes any sense. Because we're introduced to the Native American folklore bits at the very end while the idea of the group getting exposed to weird noises, it feels like an explanation for the events should've been handled far earlier so that something starts to make sense as to what's going on. The creature gets so little screentime that it's a near-afterthought compared to the more effective elements usually featured with just a few different aspects to help get more of an impact on what's going on, and while it does admirably at creating a fantastic atmospheric take with the mysterious noises coming from the woods and the encounters with the different doppelgangers present, it's not enough to overcome what's going on.

Rated Unrated/R: Violence and Language.

Short budget, on a shoe string, but movies can still be good, take "12 Angry Men" which I will watch for example is great. Now their can be merit. And this film is good, it's a positive one-timer. Nothing more though, and nothing less.

The script isn't Terrible either, the concept of a remote location, near a woods with bizarre occurrences, feels good but somehow misses the spark. The writing feels slightly shallow as it sort of seems like the characters don't feel much, and the occurrences feel half-formed as they sort of happen after some build-up. And the build-up also feels very good, but it doesn't feel fully earned as it sort of does just happen. And the characters do just react but not in ways you'd often expect.

I did enjoy it though. The setting has nice Visuals, the story has a nice flow to it so the pacing isn't too overbearing, but as I said it does feel half-formed. Too many ideas at times, and not enough Character conflict, or enough of a reaction to fully build the tension and scares. But where that lacks, the story doesn't lack in thrills, and a mystery that flows nicely.

The soundtrack doesn't always fully do it for me either, but I like the music in the woods as it seems eerie and almost mythical, like how their trying to make us feel something, and it definitely works for me. However, I'd of liked a more thud in the music, to cramp up the thrills and make us feel the scares more.

But the scenary looks nice, the water looks great too and the wide shots feel beutiful and the scenic areas also are naturally stunning to look at. The cinematography isn't that bad either, I found myself enjoying that pretty much. Because I enjoyed it because the area was lit nicely, and it also does create for some good scares.

The Dead people was great to see, the signing of turning away was horrifying. That does feel great and will traumatise you with the dark effects and cramped up atmosphere. Unfortunately, it was slightly too late but it doesn't mean it wasn't a positive. The scares were their and the atmosphere was at it's best.

I'd rate this film a 5 Out of 10 Because whilst the characters are decent, and the reactions feel shallow, the story had some nice scenery and had some brilliantly creative ideas that fitted in a half-formed movie with occasionally good progressive build-ups.

And the song runs over the entirety of the credits. I think there was a movie that played before the song. There were people on screen doing and saying things. A lot of the same things over and over again. Often in a goofy manner. Then there was some kind of narrative reveal/resolution. And then a denouement stolen directly from Manos: the Hands of Fate.

But don't worry, the song starts immediately after. And the song is really want you want. I sure hope the song gains traction as the song is thoroughly entertaining. I am not certain if the song streams anywhere or is available on a video distributing website from the artist.

So four stars for the "soundtrack".

This is what you get when you put up posters saying, actors wanted.

Hey, bro! Let's spend a few days in the woods, shall we? Bring your girl! Where is this place Here! Take a look! I've got a few pics! (Hmmm...creepy house, creepy forest, probably no cell phone or internet connection, either...good place to get effed up) Hey man, thanks for the invitation but we already have some appointments...Oh...Ok, maybe a next time, yeah Hell yeah! (Hell no!) They were never seen again.....roll the credits.

I so didn't know that Lifetime was producing horror fims. They just don't make movies like they used to.

Pretty much that...

The good ol' very dependable 'Cabin in the Woods' setting, which I personally will probably never get tired of, and I mean that sincerely because when used well it can be very effective.

Creepy woods, mysterious and threatening sounds, the elements are here for a good film. But, they just simply are not put together very well. The acting is not the greatest. I would say for me personally IF the story itself had been executed much better and the director had a clue about how to create the narrative in an engaging way, sure, I probably wouldn't have been that bothered by the acting even though it wasn't that great.

And, as Leo at The Geek Legion of Doom said, which I ALWAYS check out when I'm interested in a movie, it is an excellent site and Leo is a great reviewer, it was like the entire film was setup, setup, setup, setup... and then an abrupt ending in the last 5 minutes. Not structured terribly well. And yes, you have the usual people doing dumb things to move the plot along.

So, yeah, not a bad idea at all and some very good atmosphere with great potential, basically all wasted on a rather poor effort.