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Sex, (lots of) blood, sick and twisted turns, and inventive kills, what more could you want?
The first time I saw the trailer for Bone Lake, I was immediately hooked, and I thought October 3 couldn’t come soon enough. “Book your stay at Bone Lake, where your body count is guaranteed to go up” — now that was a tagline that piqued my curiosity. Hot people, sex, fun, and games with a horror backdrop? Count me in!
Directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, Bone Lake had its World Premiere at Fantastic Fest in September 2024 before Bleecker Street (U.S.) and Signature Entertainment (UK and Ireland) acquired the distribution rights.
After her directorial debut, Fixation in 2022, which premiered at TIFF, and Spoonful of Sugar (2022), directed for Shudder, Bryce Morgan is returning with a campy and perverse horror movie that promises plenty of blood and tension. And it surely did not disappoint.
Bone Lake follows a couple, Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi), who are renting a house at (surprise, surprise) Bone Lake for the weekend, hoping for a romantic getaway together. Barely arrived at the house, and it’s already sexy time — butt naked on a Bearskin rug in front of the foyer — a classic (honestly, this is probably one of the realest scenes in the film: a man making sure of his own pleasure but not his partner’s. In my opinion, it’s the real first kill of the film).
They almost get caught by another couple, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita), who are also entering the house. But who are they? And what are they doing there? After a moment of confusion, they all realize they’ve double-booked the house for the weekend. With the nearest hotels miles away, only a few options remain — or at least that’s what they claim. Who could blame them? The place is gorgeous, and everyone has already paid to be there. So why not share it? There are plenty of rooms, after all.
Tension quickly starts to rise inside the house, trust is tested, and it’s clear that Will and Cin are here to play — but what game, exactly? The tension rises higher and higher with each passing minute, feeling like foreplay: the movie keeps teasing us from the very beginning, with every look, whisper, and lingering shot slowly undressing the suspense, building anticipation long before the final act.
As the movie progresses, you can tell that something is wrong, yet you can’t pinpoint exactly what — and that’s part of the fun. Horror movies are more predictable by the day, and yes, some of the tropes here are classic and even a little familiar, but that’s part of their charm. This one is still full of sick, twisted turns that I definitely did not see coming, and I loved it! Paired with sex, (lots of) blood, and inventive kills (the opening sequence had me clapping), what more could you want? Sex and horror have gone hand in hand for years because both sexual arousal and fear trigger adrenaline. When combined, they amplify each other, making scenes more intense, immersive, and thrilling for the audience — and that’s exactly how the movie works all the way through to its bloody climax.
Bryce Morgan’s love for cinema is undeniable. Behind the camera, she proves she knows exactly where to place it and how to move it to immerse us in Bone Lake. Upside-down shots, spinning shots — everything works to amplify the tension and keep us hooked.
But what truly elevates Bone Lake is how the performances and themes work in tandem with Morgan’s vision. Hasson’s Sage seems sweet and innocent at first glance, but there’s a hint of mischief just beneath the surface — the kind of wildness you wouldn’t expect from someone who looks so sweet (though, in hindsight, maybe it’s not that surprising). Diego, by contrast, feels like the “regular” (and rather boring) partner, the grounding presence amid all the chaos. Will is unpredictable and playful, always ready to push limits, while Cin lights up every scene with her daring, mischievous energy. Together, the four of them create a dynamic that’s both thrilling and fun, making every encounter crackle with tension, humor, and just the right touch of danger.
Together, they embrace the camp, turning exaggerated moments into pure entertainment, but never letting the film tip into parody. Beneath the sex, blood, and chaos, the film toys with ideas of voyeurism, trust, and the darker instincts that surface when desire and danger collide. By the time the final act arrives, the film delivers a climax that is as shocking as it is satisfying (the final scene reminded me a lot of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) — caught in that delightfully unhinged, panicked-but-playful energy that defines classic slasher finales).
Bone Lake will be released in theatres this Friday, and fans of campy horror movies will find themselves right at home.
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