The Lady of the Lake: The Legend of Lake Ronkonkoma

As someone who grew up on Long Island I loved seeing our local legends on the big screen. I adored all the outdoor shots, especially the ones at sunset and at night. It feels almost surreal to see locations you've been to in real life on screen. I thought the characters were believable, you can see how different the grieving process is for each one. Some characters are stuck, while others try to find a new normal moving forward. Jamie was one of my favorite characters, and seeing them spending times with their friends, not going out and about but just meeting on the shore or someone's house to hang out, really does bring back memories from when I was a teen.

The film had beautiful cinematography and camera techniques. My favorite scene was the flashback party by the lake because we got to meet a lot of the characters, and the entire scene was done in one take. One thing I noticed about that was the banner with Jamie and Eric's names. Eric's name was all in orange while Jaime's was in a variety of colors (each letter was a different color). I also loved the sound mixing. It seemed very ominous, which fit the tone of the movie mysteriously. Finally, the main character was very well written. She wanted to do whatever it took to uncover the curse of the lake, including holding another party on the lake, which her father had banned her from doing. This film seems like it's for people who will do anything it takes to get answers they want, no matter the cost.

Watching from across the country in Los Angeles, learning about this actual legend of Lake Ronkonkoma was an incredibly exciting experience. The small town full of culture and character, with its gorgeous scenery and natives, are all beautifully captured to help viewers understand the history and tight-knit community behind Ronkonkoma.

I was particularly drawn to the music and sound design that allowed for an intensely eerie setting. I definitely felt that I was being watched by the lady of the lake from my own room (and might have even looked over my shoulders a few times while watching).

These intense moments were softened, though, with light-hearted ones sandwiched in between. Following the event of a tragic loss, this film reminds viewers that platonic, familial, and romantic love/support can help individuals through periods of grief.

This film is a must-watch in many circumstances, as the story contains elements bound to appeal to any viewer: history, horror, diversity, romance, comedy, and themes of family. Watch and enjoy with loved ones, or alone (if you dare)!

As a local, I was curious to watch this movie. I should've stayed curious. I really wanted to like this, I was rooting for it. But wow....

HOW did Seth Gilliam agree to do this??? I'm actually stumped. He's not an unknown actor with no credits.

I've been in pretty bad movies myself as a local actor, but this is by far the worst movie I've ever seen. I've seen high school projects that are better than this. Between the acting, the dialogue, the writing, the music... it's all so unnatural and so cheesy, so bad, that it feels awkward to even watch. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

I will say- there are a couple scenes that aren't as bad, and some interesting camerawork, but overall it's just not good. E for Effort?

As someone who grew up there, and spent my teenage years partying at the lake, eating at the deli and partying at Parsnip I know a thing or 2 about the Legend of the lake. Some of what they stated was true, however, no one has died in years. Rumor is that it is bottomless. People stopped going in it many years ago. Okay- about the movie, it is boring and focuses more like a coming of-age and going away to college movie. Def. Not scary and pointless. They could've done so much more with the material. If they wanted to make a teenage movie, they could've done better. There were so many other things they could've focused on and it was just boring imo.