Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
When a father is forced to abruptly depart for work, he leaves his children, Aidan and Mia, at their holiday home in the care of his new girlfriend, Grace. Isolated and alone, a blizzard traps them inside the lodge as terrifying events summon specters from Grace's dark past.
The Lodge is a slow-burn atmospheric horror with exceptional cinematography — its cold, sterile wide shots and claustrophobic interiors create genuine dread. The performances, especially Alicia Silverstone's replacement Riley Keough, are quietly devastating and convincing. The plot is methodically constructed with unsettling religious cult backstory, though it leans heavily on psychological horror conventions established by films like Hereditary and Goodnight Mommy (from the same directors). The ending is bleak and committed, though some viewers find it nihilistic in a way that feels more punishing than resonant. Novelty is moderate — the Fiala/Franz signature style is present but this feels like a refinement of Goodnight Mommy's template rather than a distinct leap forward.