The owner of The Horror Times asked if I would help out and do a review of Christmas Horror, while Lake Alice (aka Lake Tomahawk) is set during holiday time I wouldn’t exactly say this is a Christmas horror flick as there’s no Santa, elves, snowman, etc. Lake Alice was released by Breaking Glass Pictures in 2017 from director Ben Milliken and screenwriter Stevie Jane Miller and is much more of a slasher with the home invasion as the secondary source.
Brad Schmidt and Caroline Tudor
The Thomas family is on their way to their cabin in Lake Alice and tagging along is their daughter Sarah (Caroline Tudor) and soon to be fiancé Ryan (Brad Schmidt). As they get settled in Sarah’s parents realize they need supplies so Greg (Peter O’Brien (The Return [2005])) and Natalie (Laura Niemi (Chastity Bites [2013])) drive into town stopped by Sheriff Hank (Michael Shamus Wiles (Mortuary [2005])) and then make it into town. While there they stop for gas and meet the shopkeeper Jane (Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist [1973])) who chats with Natalie and discovers Sarah is engaged a shock for her since she and her son Tyler (Brando Eaton (Some Kind of Hate [2015])) used to date. When they get back to the cabin, Greg and Ryan, curiously realize they need other items including oddly more fuel, a clear plot hole as they travel back to town; encounter Deputy Reed (Craig Rees (Whispers [2015])) who is not happy to see them.
Caroline Tudor
The movie really starts from here when they both return and there is a loud bang at the door and wakes them up. Greg grabs his gun, heads towards the noise (always a big mistake) and has an ax/tomahawk thrown at his back. Then a masked killer takes it and starts hacking him with it. This sends the rest of the family running in terror and since they’re out in the middle of nowhere their cellphones aren’t working either. Sarah and Ryan run for their lives and see a creepy neighbor who assisted them earlier, though one wonders if he’s the killer. It’s a misleading thread but it’s not since he is killed off quickly. Ryan and Sarah stay physical fit as if prepared for a marathon of running, hence typical slasher, they get separated and he finds Natalie but sees she’s unconscious in the car so assumes she died in the car crash then runs back into the house and finds Sarah knocked-out in the basement and awakens her. They run outside where they are confronted, but Sarah runs for her life leaving Ryan behind and hides in the woods though hears a noise and sees what appears to be one of the masked killers the experienced horror fan knows this cliché portion all too well. She runs back to the house and watches Sheriff Hank being burned to death and is captured again, this is where the masked killers are revealed and to see the conclusion who will need to watch the film.
I would say this is more of a revenge slasher than a home invasion or Christmas horror movie. The killing doesn’t start until 3/4 way into the movie so it’s just a bunch of slow-moving story maybe due to budget but it’s not very suspenseful. I wasn’t surprised who the main killer was because it gave it away early on in my opinion plus the acting wasn’t the greatest. I’m glad the movie was only 78 minutes because it didn’t have all of the slashing or suspense like a Friday the 13th type movie has. I know some fans may classify this as Christmas Horror and I can see how they think that, but it’s just that it takes place at Christmastime. This is for people who want to watch a basic slasher film with not many kills or excitement.
TAGLINE:
- Their first holiday together … may be their last!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3923004/
IMDb Rating: 3.7/10
3C Rating: 3.5/10