Note to self – this is not a new entry in the Cabin by the Lake franchise. At least if it was, I’d have something more to say about it other than my opinion right now. Which isn’t a lot in either direction. Here’s the thing… As someone with my degree in film and as someone who’s worked on a number of projects, I know when it’s time to give credit where credit is due. Making a movie is hard work, no matter how they portray the process on television. It takes guts, hours of pulling your own hair out, and being more flexible and resourceful than you knew was possible. So, when a finished product like House by the Lake comes across my desk, I can marvel at what was accomplished. House By the Lake is an impressive feature length film as far as independent standards go. Crystal clear picture quality, sleek editing, above average acting and realistic looking blood. As a production, this movie is as professionally produced as they come, but what it’s lacking is the story to highlight those efforts.
Synopsis: A struggling couple, Scott and Karen, pack up their troubled young daughter, Emma, and head to a lake house in an effort to reconnect with each other and put their problems behind them. As Emma spends more time with her new nanny, she begins fixating on an imaginary friend she calls The Fish Man. Family bonding doesn’t go as planned and one night Emma disappears, only to be discovered breathing underwater in a bathtub. Not only that, Emma also claims that she was with The Fish Man the whole time… and he’s coming back for her. Now Scott and Karen are forced to put their differences inside if they hope to save their daughter from a strange, mysterious force they can’t see. Based on the screenplay by executive producer Josh Burnell, House by the Lake was directed by Adam Gierasch (Fertile Ground, Night of the Demons) with producers Jace Anderson, Danielle Aufiero, James Callis, Brian Cooperman, Mike De Trana, Anne Dudek, Amber Horn and Gary King.
Again, House by the Lake is beautiful. All of the establishing shots and overviews of the sets and locations only reinforce that this was a classy movie. I only wish the story had more bite to it because now it enters the realm of “i’ve seen dozens of movies like this before” and there isn’t a quality that sets it apart from the other titles in its catalogue. Midway through the movie, the atmosphere changes and becomes subtly creepy; and the viewer will get the sense that very real danger is looming just outside the door of the cozy manor. Still, the small creep factor and the tidbits of mystery aren’t going to be enough to keep horror fans enthralled. People who like dark dramas and supernatural mysteries will definitely enjoy it, but horror fans? I just don’t think there’s enough here. And that makes me upset because there was a big opportunity to make The Fish Man into something else, something scarier. I agree with keeping him out of sight until the very end of the movie, because that sets an almost Halloween effect, but that also takes away the ability for him to scare audiences in a generation of cinema viewers who want that gratification now.
Before giving my final score, I want to point out that I loved the small cast that starred in this movie. Having such a small number of people, who pulled in great performances, allowed the opportunity for me to get to know each and every one of them as a real character and not as canon fodder for a big fishy beast. James Callis (“Battlestar Galactica”), Anne Dudek (“Covert Affairs”), Natasha Bassett (Hail Caesar), Amiah Miller (Lights Out) and Michael Bowen (“Breaking Bad”) star in House by the Lake, shot on location at Big Bear Lake in California. Cinematography was handled by Mitchell Anderson with editing by Andrew Cohen and Josh Ethier. Random Media is putting this one out on VOD and DVD October 10th. A fabulously shot movie with an incredible cast and crew, the only thing this one was missing was a much needed extra level of real horror. Final Score: 6 out of 10.
