Dir. Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala | Now Streaming On: Prime | Rating: 4/5

From the initial synopsis, there is no strong indicator that this film has such overt religious tones, which if you’ve read any of my reviews, you know this was a pleasant surprise for me. You’re probably also thinking “Lonely’s about to go on a rant about religion again” and surprise – not this time.

Psychological horror tends to be hit or miss, since it depends heavily on a twist. Either you see the twist coming or it makes little sense. The Lodge has the benefit of essentially two twists – which models the style of Hereditary. Though I did see the first one coming, which may have been the point, I certainly didn’t see the second one. This definitely cushions the initial disappointment of a transparent storyline.

This film is definitely one that will leave you with a pit in your stomach. From the first 15 minutes, things take a dark tone and fast. I don’t want to spoil anything but I will say that The Lodge tackles the horror of loss, mental illness, trauma, and religion in an incredibly raw way. The portrayals of death are so unembellished that it appeals to a sense of realism. Though the trauma of all the characters is handled tactfully, I might not recommend it for viewers who are sensitive to this subject matter.

The only drawback I felt was prominent in The Lodge was the script. The writing for Aiden and Mia felt clunky, with Mia’s lines seeming to be fit for a much younger child and Aiden’s for an older one. Maybe this is more of a casting critique, since the actors didn’t quite match up to the impressions on age given from the script. This is my first time seeing Jaeden Martell as anything besides Bill from IT, so maybe I’m just relying too heavily on that younger example.

The Lodge is a haunting, dark, and raw tale of trauma and the power of belief. Beautifully shot and unique in its own right. If you can stomach the subject matter, it is absolutely worth a watch.

Know Before You Watch: Features graphic depictions of suicide, death, nudity, religious imagery, animal death.