Lake Mungo (2008)

 

Good evening and happy Monday! 

It appears as if I figured out my film review schedule so moving forward you can expect a review by Monday night. I typically use my late Saturday nights to watch a film and use Mondays to go over my notes. Sometimes I'll watch a second time to go over anything I've missed, as well.

Lake Mungo was among the many movies I watched in my early college days when the bulk of my life was dedicated to the night reading, playing bass, and digging through a bunch of horror movies until the sun came up. I discovered my love for found footage films/mockumentaries during this time and came across Lake Mungo. This film came to everyone's attention lately for some reason so I decided to jog my memory by rewatching with a more critical, mature eye. 

Lake Mungo was released on June 18th, 2008 and was directed by Joel Anderson starring Talia Zucker, Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, and Martin Sharpe. It's an Australian mockumentary with found footage elements and a low budget that took about 5 weeks to film and according to Anderson "I think it's meant to be an exploration of grief". The movie wasn't scripted so the actors improvised their scenes for a more natural approach. The movie is 88 minutes long.

The basis of the film is an Australian family describing the haunting events in their home following the passing of their daughter Alice, who drowned in a dam during a family outing. Family and friends detail the impact Alice left on their lives, the lead up to the drowning, and the secrets she kept.

I sound like a broken record by now praising visuals but this film did an excellent job in this department. Impressive transitions and time lapses but the beautiful Aussie landscape shots were king this time. The VHS/found footage format is my favorite making the film intimate, alluring, and organic without it distracting from the story. Switching between interviews and found footage was balanced as well. The story itself was heavy, real, and relatable and you can't help but feel at least a little emotionally invested due to the nature of Alice's death. It moves in a natural pace as one would expect of a story as real as this one. Characters were well rounded (a rare element found in footage/mockumentaries). Score was unsettling but nothing impressive or noteworthy. Acting was good but unconvincing and knowing the actors improvised their scenes explain why it appeared forced and exaggerated during the heavier scenes. It was hardly emotive making you feel uneasy and inpatient. There was a ton of tension waiting for them to show a semblance of emotion. It quickly became monotonous. The story eventually branches out but by then it's too late to hold on to your attention. There are hardly any jumpscares if at all making this film story-based and nothing else.

The film was rightfully cozy and comfortable but it's what ultimately failed it. It was played safe with hardly any risks involved. It certainly had potential but poorly executed. Nonetheless, it's a movie with an original, eerie, and real story line with an indepth perspective of unresolved grief. 

My general rating is 5/10. Based on:

-Original plot

-Relatable story

-Themes

-Depth to characters

-Viewer's perspective

-Atmosphere

I recommend this film if you want to sleep at night, appreciate an intimate experience with the characters, a naturally progessing story, have an interest in the supernatural and death, and looking for a dark drama. This movie is best watched on your own than with friends so you catch every detail.

Thanks for reading! Unsure which movie I'll watch this weekend but perhaps I'll switch it up this time. As always, feel free to send any recommendations my way to add to my list. I thought of reviewing a Vincent Price movie at the end of every month to spice things up or perhaps review terrible ones. Which of the two sound more appealing? I won't be offended if you opt out of the former. In the meantime, you can find me on Facebook and HelloPoetry.

Stay safe and make wise decisions!

-CL