Found footage films are difficult to produce. For any classic The Blair Witch Project or recordthere are 100 such films Slim And Megan is missing it's forgettable at best and an insult to the very concept of cinema at worst. My personal favorite, however, Lake Mungoa slow motion mockumentary with found footage elements that manages to be both creepy and emotionally wrenching. Oh, and it's brilliantly concise, in less than an hour and a half.
Lake Mungo it is, above all, one of the most convincingly realized mockumentaries ever made. If you tell someone that this is a real documentary about a supposed ghost, chances are they will believe you. The style is impeccable, the execution is impeccable, and it never goes overboard. Other horror films in this style end up going too far, resorting to bombast, such as the BBC film. Choose (which is also great). But Lake Mungo remains understated even when it shows supposed footage of the ghost.
Director and screenwriter Joel Anderson has not made a feature film since then. Although he found work in the film industry recently, including in 2023. Late Night with the Devilafter more than 10 years of absence.
The story follows the Palmer family as they struggle with the loss of 16-year-old Alice Palmer, who drowns while swimming in a lake. Mother June wanders around her neighborhood late at night, unable to sleep, father Russell immerses himself in his work, and brother Matthew immerses himself in his art. As you'd expect from this type of horror film, the family begins to experience strange things – noises, mysterious bruises, and even a full-fledged confrontation with a ghost.
From here, the film takes several turns that elevate it above the typical “pots and pans” horror, which I won't spoil. But its grainy, gripping passages and emotional interviews with family get under your skin. There are no scares, no gore, just building tension that eventually leads to a horrifying conclusion. The image at the film's climax is one of the most breathtaking single shots in cinema ever.
The choice of Palmer as a surname here seems like a deliberate allusion to Twin Peakswhich also features the death of a young girl in a small town that holds secrets. Along the way you will learn more about Alice and her life. She tried her best to be seen for who she truly was, both in life and in death. And just when the family finally finds closure and decides to move on, the film makes its last big reveal.
Because the film spends its limited time forcing you to immerse yourself in the characters and build the backstory, the ending hits home. If you're looking for a horror movie that packs an emotional punch, this is it. It's definitely a depressing movie, but one that makes me want to watch it again immediately.
