Bodom (2016) Reviews

• Good cinematography and sound doesn't make a good movie

  joaakive2017-01-18

  A film based on a true story that can be told in two sentences, and the plot isn't actually even that much based on it. Basically it's a Finnish "slasher" film that isn't scary in any way. How can that be possible ? In a horror movie the viewer should identify to at least one "victim" character and hope for hes or her (usually her) survival in some way. This movie makes none of the cast feel innocent or likable and twists the plot in so many so unnecessary ways the characters lose all value and become indifferent for the viewer. It feels like the script was just brainstormed together in a single sitting without any work and all focus put into the set, cinematography, sound and music which are all state of art. In some scenes the actors do fine job but very bad in few - losing completely the credibility of the ongoing -panic- situation, although international audiences might not get this. When the movie ends one just feels empty and cheated - it meant nothing and it left nothing to ponder on. These are common faults in modern publicly-funded Finnish cinema where tech, music and cinematography are great but driven with lazy writing and recycled boring cast that appears in about every title. Weren't the soviet days already over ? For those interested in slightly better Finnish slasher horror, Kuutamosonaatti (1988) is something to check out.

• Excellent

  tommyknocker-52016-12-25

  5,1 out of 10 is a disgrace to this film. Well-paced, well-acted, suspenseful and a somewhat original plot (see for yourself) with a few good twists and turns. The very most parts of the film take place in the woods, and the solid nature definitely builds up a true horror atmosphere to the film. "Lake Bodom" also has this great unsettling "nerve" to it, which reminds me of some of the best classic 80s horror flicks like "Just Before Dawn" and "The Burning". In my opinion "Lake Bodom" is the best Finnish horror flick out there. Well worth a watch for horror hounds and/or people who appreciate an entertaining, thrilling 85 minute ride!

• "Lake Bodom" serves up interesting twists but ends badly.

  stu-003292017-04-08

  This film (in Finnish with English subtitles) riffs off a real-life unsolved crime in 1960, in which two teenage couples were stabbed and bludgeoned during the night while camping by Lake Bodom, near Espoo, Finland. Three of the four were killed, the fourth injured severely. In the movie, directed by Taneli Mustonen, another set of teens – two girls and two guys – camp at the site where the 1960 incident took place. The guys ostensibly want to re-enact the crime to test a theory. To lure the girls into coming along, the guys tell them they're going go a party at a lakeside cabin. The girls play along but have their own agendas. It's never clear that the characters are two couples. Elias (Mikael Gabriel) and Nora (Mimosa Willamo) swim together in their underwear and then retreat to the tent, but the film is ambiguous about what, if any, shenanigans take place therein. Ida (Nelly Hirst-Gee) and Atte (Santeri Helinheimo Mäntylä) hang out by the campfire until they decide it's safe to join their friends in the tent – that Elias and Nora probably are done doing whatever they were doing. But if that last point implies that Elias and Nora were fooling around, one might expect them to die first, according to convention for slasher films. Instead, socially awkward Atte is the first to go, stabbed from behind while poking his head into the tent to speak with Ida, who can't see the attacker. Elias is the alpha male, a heavily tattooed, Polynesian-looking guy who seems out of place in rural Finland. Atte is a geek, a long-haired guy with self-esteem issues. Ida is a stunning blonde trying to emerge from a dark period in her past, her face masked in sadness. Her friend Nora is wild, tomboyish brunette. Like many Scandinavian films, Lake Bodem is visually dark and austere. The production quality is professional, and there is some interesting camera work. As the various teens' agendas emerge, the plot takes a number of surprising twists, perhaps too many. I found the conclusion to be muddled, with little explanation or motive. Variety reported in February that the AMC Networks-backed genre streaming service Shudder had picked up the rights to Lake Bodom and would start streaming it in May 2017. ### Stu Robinson does writing, editing, media relations and social media through his business, Phoenix-based Lightbulb Communications.

• Fun and solid horror filmmaking

  spencergrande62017-12-01

  Some modern teens set out to recreate the circumstances surrounding the real life Lake Bodom murders down to every last detail and once and for all figure out exactly how this happened in the first place. Motivations are scattershot - they aren't so much character motivated as plot (the two main guys are apparently not friends, though why they're on a trip together doesn't come up) and the one guy's "vision" for the weekend no one seems to want to go along with. Suffice it to say that killings happen and teens are stalked. There are a fair amount of twists and turns, movies within movies, that make for an engaging experience. Too much exposition and plot mechanics? Probably. But this is fun and solid horror filmmaking.

• Its stylish but kinda dumb

  matias-herajarvi2019-05-03

  Postives Negatives Skip this one.