Film: Lake Mungo (Review)

For those who're rushing to the theatres...

I don't see how this applies as this film is currently having a limited release run. Lake Mungo has been recently added to several horror film festivals in due of the upcoming Halloween. I've personally caught it at the Fantastisk Film Festival in Lund just over the past weekend and I was personally intrigued, spooked and amazed by this fabulous piece of debut film work of Australian Writer-Director Joel Anderson. Lake Mungo announces a name to be on every body's alert list in the film industry as Joel Anderson proves to be a powerful direction with potentials.

For those who've spare time to read on...

Tranquil mix of goosebumps-inducing eeriness, strong family drama and mind-bewildering mysterious plot twists, it is difficult to appropriately categorize this film according to today's film genre. It may appear to be a pure simple ghost tale, but you begin to question that later during the run of the film. You're constantly being played out by the film-maker, deceived several times over as the film breaks up the gradual establishments it created in the audience a couple of times. This constant heart-breaking factor disturbs the audience and surprisingly arouses an intrigued sense of curiosity that keeps them on the edge of their seat, demanding more from the film.

Lake Mungo is on paper, a video footage record of mysterious and bizarre events taking place within the Palmer's Residence that led after the tragic drowning of daughter, Alice Palmer, in a local dam one day during a swim at a family outing. Confused and disturbed by these profound happenings, proper closure to Alice's death within the family members was hindered and instead they began to induce questions of hope especially in Alice's mother, June. Seeking proper guidance to the strings of strange events within the house, the Palmers looked up towards psychic Ray Kemeny and discovered that there's more to Alice's life that's being kept secret to everybody prior her death.

Saying more will indefinitely reduce the joy and satisfaction in watching this film, so plot details will be kept to a minimum for the benefits of potential film viewers. The film adopts a documentary style of presentation, where one finds similarities to earlier "footage-style" horror films such as The Blair Witch Project (and to a lesser extend, Cloverfield). Therefore, Lake Mungo is slow, raw and unpretentious in the eyes of the audience. There's so many serene moments in this film that I personally find it hard to believe that it is actually a horror film. However, that said, these elements actually gave rise to the gradual build-up of insatiable curiosity within the audience. It gives you enough space to individually explore the concepts delivered on screen (although it may have given rise to more questions within the audience with every element projected) and actually follow along as you're being led by Anderson's carrot stick till the 89th minute.

First time film-makers usually face budget issues that may be binding on the possibilities of film producing elements and choice, but this is not the case for Anderson. He played it to his advantage by adopting the use of handheld amateur home video camcorders and mobile-phone video capabilities within his project. These combined gave birth to a burst of synergy as it coated the film with an even more raw and realistic feel that may have also been some of the causes of chilling fear that I have felt throughout the film.

Do give this subtle documentary horror film a shot if you have the opportunity to. If not, word has it that Hollywood has already purchased the remake rights to Lake Mungo. It should turn mainstream soon with the US version pending, which I doubt will even be half as good as the original, especially in terms of the subtle spook factor.

Till then, keep your pumpkins lit and stay away from the lonely twilight streets.