Review of Lake Mungo (2009) by Sarah C — 05 Jan 2011

So it's another year, and we have another set of 8 Films to Die For. In the past I bought up each of these releases, but since these films tend to suck I decided it would be best to rent them instead. The first film I chose to give a viewing was Joel Anderson's Lake Mungo. Lately there has been a resurgence of faux-documentary horror films, such as the Spanish film REC and the American film Paranormal Activity. Lake Mungo is a little different than those, since it plays more like one of those television specials where a family talks about supernatural events troubling them.

Lake Mungo is an Australian film, and not being so familiar with the film industry there I can't say whether or not the people involved with this film were professionals or amateurs. Either way, the effect of Lake Mungo is one that works frighteningly realistic. The actors playing the family all look and feel like a real family, and as they tell their tale of the supposed haunting that is affecting their lives I couldn't help but feel chilled to the bone and completely creeped out.

The movie starts off with the mysterious drowning of a teenage girl named Alice Palmer (Talia Zucker). Alice disappears during a family camping trip, and weeks later her body is discovered and ruled as an accidental death. Shortly after her funeral strange occurrences start up. Alice appears in photographs recently taken, and she even appears in video shot around the house. The family begins to think there is more to Alice's death, and that she is guiding them from beyond the grave to solve this mystery.

I liked how Lake Mungo put to use the fashion that it was filmed in. The footage where Alice's ghost is captured was very chilling, and at times I was embarrassed at how scared I was getting (especially Alice's cell phone footage). Plus the way the film handles the mystery of Alice's death and the events leading up to it is wonderfully done, and presents the story in a strong and captivating manner. Top that off with a really creepy score by Dai Paterson, that brings even more chills to this film.

I think out of all of the films I've seen from any of the 8 Films to Die For collections, Lake Mungo would stand as being the best film to be released in this series. I'm happy that Lionsgate takes a chance and picks up films like this, and even happier that they picked up a film that was worth it. It pains me to see that there is an American remake already in the works for this film, but seeing that director Joel Anderson is involved with it makes the venture a little more hopeful.