Reel Review: Bone Lake (2024)

“Bone Lake” plunges viewers into a seductive and sinister world, delivering a thrilling cocktail of sex appeal and nail-biting suspense.

Bone Lake, Mercedes Bryce Morgan‘s 2024 thriller, opens with an unnerving shot that immediately grabs the viewer’s attention, followed by an intensely charged scene that sets a provocative tone. A killer transition to the title scene echoes Evil Dead Rise in its intense and thrilling introduction that hooks viewers from the start.

Diego (Marco Pigossi) and Sage (Maddie Hasson) are vacationing at an ultra-plush villa. Despite a commitment to loving civility, cracks appear to form beneath their domestic tranquility veneer. They’ve fallen into a bit of a romantic rut, prompted by Diego’s reckless decision to quit his job as a professor to become a full-time writer, leaving Sage to shoulder the burden of sole breadwinner.

As they attempt to reconnect on a romantic weekend, another sexy young couple, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita), shows up, saying that they, too, have rented the scenic lakeside villa for the weekend. It seems the owner inadvertently double-booked, and neither couple is keen on giving up the spectacular abode on Bone Lake.

While the men try to solve the dilemma in the most sophisticated manner possible with a game of Rock Paper Scissors, Cin coolly suggests they share the space, offering the chance to enjoy gourmet cooking, plenty of libations, and intriguing company.

It’s not long before the foursome becomes fast friends. But, as you might expect, things don’t remain idyllic for long.

Soon, Diego and Sage are drawn into a twisted game of seduction and manipulation.

Morgan was drawn to the project, written by Joshua Friedlander, because of its exploration of duality.

It’s the kind of rare film that can be enjoyed as an escapist popcorn film with ample thrills and chills but also as a more nuanced and thought-provoking look at the complexities of modern relationships.

While Bone Lake doesn’t shy away from gratuitous sex and visceral violence, it’s also got depth and meaningful relationship drama — exploring issues of trust, sacrifice, and partnership.

Bone Lake doesn’t really try to hide its cards. When the wildly attractive couple shows up immediately following our protagonists’ arrival, Morgan and Friedlander know you’ve seen enough horror movies to know something is not right. The film knows your alarm bells are ringing, and it’s not trying to keep you guessing.

Where it aims to surprise, however, is in just how nasty this sort of home invasion will get and just why our tortured lovers find themselves in the crosshairs of a dangerous duo.

Though it treads familiar ground and takes some predictable turns, it never feels predictable or dull. Despite its telegraphed trajectory, it serves up some deliciously unexpected surprises.

Similar to the recent Speak No Evil, it deftly explores how we often overlook glaring red flags in others, especially when we’re consumed with our own problems.

The performances are fantastic across the board. Pigossi and Hasson are believable as a couple, with equal amounts of organic chemistry and simmering tension. It’s easy to invest in them and care about their plight. Meanwhile, Nechita and Roe are sinfully good at being both seductively charming and menacing manipulators. They are diabolical but so damn fun to watch that you can’t for a moment take your eyes off of them.

It also helps that they both exude so much undeniable sex appeal that it’s easy to see how well their charms work on the more restrained Diego and Sage.

When the proverbial stuff hits the fan, it hits hard and leaves the screen splattered with blood-soaked mayhem, which is sure to appease most horror fans.

The practical effects shine, and there’s ample gore. The final act is frenetic and gloriously chaotic.

It’s a thrilling ride from start to finish. However, watching these cats slink and stalk their unsuspecting prey is even more fun than watching them finally pounce.

Morgan doesn’t hide her intentions, promoting the film as an erotic thriller blended with a lurid Lifetime movie. Thus, it’s fair to expect a little sleaze, a little camp, and a lot of gorgeous scenery. There’s also a knowing embrace of sizzling style over rich narrative pleasures.

All of that is a compliment, by the way.

The film exploits all-too-common relationship woes, focusing squarely on issues of trust and betrayal. While the story may get outlandish, the core of its conflict is real and relatable. It’s about exploiting vulnerabilities and how easy it is to break someone when you know their biggest insecurities.

Bone Lake knows exactly what kind of film it wants to be, and it embraces that desire with naked abandon.

It’s sexy, soapy, and sinister — smartly edited and rapidly paced with nary a dull moment.