This
picturesque locale is sort of like a Finnish Wolf Creek. In 1960, three
teenagers were brutally murdered on the shores of the idyllic looking camping
spot. Several people have been suspected of the murder, including the sole
survivor and a possible KGB agent, but nobody has been convicted of the crimes.
That means the killer is still out there. In light of that fact, perhaps it is
slightly unwise for four teens to sneak out there as part of an ill-conceived
plan to recreate the murders in Taneli Mustonen’s Lake Bodom (trailer
here),
which screens during the 2017 Seattle International Film Festival.
Atte
is exactly the sort of serial killer obsessive teen weirdo Jamie Kennedy
satirized in the Scream franchise. In
contrast, his sort of pal Elias just likes girls. Of course, that is reason
enough for them to convince Nora and Ida to come with them on a camping trip to
Lake Bodom. Frankly, Ida could use a break from her parents and the other kids
at school. Recently she fell victim to a roofie that led to naked pictures
posted on the internet. This will be her first time out of her ultra-fundie
house since the incident. Could be the last time too.
Naturally,
just as the irresponsible teens turn in for the night, they start hearing
suspicious noises outside the tent. Obviously, the best course of action is for
one or two of them to walk off on their own to investigate. As it happens,
there is a decidedly devious twist midway through the film. That also means it
is pretty easy to guess what will be the next shoe to drop after that, but Mustonen
clearly understands viewers are primed for it.
All
things considered, Lake Bodom is
quite a lethally effective slasher film. Mustonen is not slavishly obsessed
with the 1960 case, but he and co-screenwriter Aleksi Hyvärien incorporate
clever parallels. Also, Mimosa Willamo and Mikael Gabriel are both far better
than your average slasher fodder as Nora and Elias, respectively.
