Wicked Lake

Genre - Horror

Year Released - 2008

Running Time - 95 minutes

Directed by Zach Passero

Written by Adam Rockoff (who also wrote Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film) and Chris Sivertson (who also wrote the screenplay for and directed Jack Ketchum's The Lost)
*Note: Ministry's Al Jourgenson provided the score for the film

Cast Includes:

Robin Sydney (who was also in The Lost, as well as the Masters of Horror: Right to Die episode, and also a few Drake & Josh episodes, on Nickelodeon)

Eve Mauro

Eryn Joslyn

Carlee Baker

Marc Senter (who played Ray in The Lost - he is also going to be in the upcoming Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever)

*Also look for appearances from Angela Bettis (May) and Mike McKee (Lucky McKee's Father - he was also in Angela Bettis' Roman) Al Jourgenson also played the Art Professor

Rating: 3 Skulls

Plot Summary:

Four beautiful coeds retreat to a mountain lake for some weekend R & R, but their vacation is shattered when four creepy admirers show up at their cabin.

But when the clock strikes midnight, a mysterious power is unleashed that surprises everyone.

Now it's up to the uninvited guests to fight for their survival from the bloodthirsty beauties.

Review:

If you have already heard of this film, then I am sure that you have heard of the four lead female roles, and their abundant nudity. . .

The Four Leading Ladies

I myself am partial to Eve Mauro (2nd one, from the left)

While I did not mind these nubile young women parading around naked for the majority of the film, I still would have liked a little more back-ground on their characters. [When the clock strikes midnight, you really have no idea what is going on - are these girls witches? They seem to get their powers, not only from bizarre rituals, but from the moon as well - is there some sort of lycanthropic blood running through their veins? They never shift, however they feed on blood as well - are they some sort of vampires? What in the world?!?] A little mystery is fine, however I was totally clueless.

There were a few plot holes as well. [Did the director expect all of the naked female flesh to distract us from these obvious holes?!?] For instance, when the four ladies are at their cabin, in the woods, (which by the way, is a 4-room cabin - one bedroom - for the 4 ladies to share - a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room) and the four fellows show up - how did they find them? How in the world did they even know where to go?

Also, one of my biggest pet peeves - character stupidity! There is a scene where someone receives a fire poker through the chest, pinning them to the door (it goes through the person and out the other side of the door) This is actually okay with me - I guess it was supposed to be some sort of comic relief (you'll see why) My problem is the fact that a couple other "visitors" decide to drop by the cabin - they walk right up to the door and knock. . . What?!? The bloody fire poker, sticking out of the door, dripping blood, doesn't clue you in that something - not good - is up? To make it even worse, two detectives do the exact same thing! [They don't call for back-up, as that is for TV-Cops only, who are a bunch of wussies anyway]

The thing that really saved this film (aside from all of the nakedness) was the F/X work - there is some great blood, guts, and brain effects!

Now that it is all said and done, I would have wished for more fleshed out characters and a deeper understanding of what was going on with the ladies. Still, I have to say that the film is definitely visually aesthetic, and for that I cannot fault it anymore.

[I am not including a trailer, as the only one that I could find was the "red-band" one, which gave way too much away!]

Jason