The Lake (2022)

The Lake (2022). 1h 44m

“Ever had minimal expectations for a movie and still come out disappointed? Thatu0026#39;s what I got for u0026quot;The Lakeu0026quot;, a giant monster movie from Thailand. I remember seeing the trailer months ago and thought it looked nice. Too bad the nice shine is from a shallow pool. The plot is simple: an egg is found along with a human-sized amphibian creature that goes on a killing spree before being captured. Big momma shows up to find both, throwing the townsfolk into chaos.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe most positive thing about this film is the effects. Thereu0026#39;s a great blend of CGI and practical effects with the big creature in particular primarily displayed via a massive animatronic reminiscent of the T-rex from u0026quot;Jurassic Parku0026quot;, all of which looks impressive. The design isnu0026#39;t bad either, slightly humanoid but mostly having fish-like traits. Canu0026#39;t say the same for the rest of the film. Thereu0026#39;s a smidge of potential with the human characters, who have strained relationships with their families, which contrasts the creature trying to save its offspring. Too bad none of the characters are worth a crap since we barely know anything about them or have time to let them breathe. The constant screaming from the crowds gets so annoying it makes Ann Darrow from u0026quot;King Kongu0026quot; seem soft spoken by comparison. Aside from the initial attack scene, thereu0026#39;s hardly any action and the beasts do very little; the big monster doesnu0026#39;t even smash any buildings or fight the authorities. Most crippling of all is the horrendous pacing. The movieu0026#39;s 90 minutes long yet it feels twice that much with multiple scenes going on far too long and being uneventful. It bored me out of my mind. Thereu0026#39;s an English dub, but itu0026#39;s pretty sloppily executed compared to other East Asian films Iu0026#39;ve seen. Also, the story doesnu0026#39;t really take place on a lake, much less make it a major focus, so add misleading title to the list of sins.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;The Lakeu0026quot; is yet another example of how good effects can never top good writing and direction. Give this a hard pass. If you want a better version of a story where a giant rampaging monster seeks to save its young, watch the 1961 British flick u0026quot;Gorgou0026quot;.”