Lake Mungo (2010)

By Jody

Score: 6/10

After the drowning of their teenage daughter, a family experiences paranormal activity in their home.  The documentary format is used, and the viewer is told that this is a retelling of actual events (not true, but more on that later). This was one of the After Dark Horrorfest IV selections. 

Amid the rising fad of paranormal entity films and television shows, this Australian film sets itself apart by acknowledging the fact that much of the” unexplainable”  is actually very explainable either by science or hoax.  Both sides of the equation are examined, and the film questions the validity of paranormal research, psychics, and the existence of spirits.

Also, all performances were fantastic and really convincing, and the news archive footage and interview footage was extremely effective (for about two-thirds of the movie, but again, more on that later). It was all so real and well-done that waiting for the “This is a work of fiction…” disclaimer at the end credits was necessary to determine/validate its authenticity (which became suspect due to the film’s climax).

This film u-turns too many times, resulting in a serious disconnect with the viewer.  To add insult to injury, these u-turns erode the narrative cohesiveness, resulting in doubt and frustration with the film.   It’s disappointing when a film is doing something cool and different and then backpedals into the mundane. 

While this isn’t necessarily a criticism of the film itself, it was a very out-of-place Horrorfest entry as all of the chills are psychological in nature rather than the standard violence and gore one come to expect from these films.  Ultimately, this Aussie chiller starts very strong and spirals into “pretty good”.

Starring: Rosie Traynor, David Pledger, and Martin Sharpe

Directed by: Joel Anderson

Budget / Gross: $1,490,000 / Festival and Direct-to-Dvd release

IMDB Score: 6.1/10

Tomatometer: 93% critics and 60% audiences liked it