Candy Child Ray’s tag line says all of it: “The Sauce Is the Boss.”
One thing comparable holds for “Caddo Lake.” The Max thriller’s greatest asset is its title – the swampy panorama the place the story takes place.
It’s a personality unto itself, a sprawling vista that may swallow up somebody in the event that they’re not cautious. If solely the remainder of the movie proved as compelling.
“Caddo Lake” boasts stable appearing, robust manufacturing values and a narrative we haven’t seen earlier than. But the narrative by no means will get underneath our pores and skin. The identical applies for its small-town characters.
Younger Ellie (Eliza Scanlen), is having hassle untangling her household ties in her quaint rural city. One other misplaced soul, Paris (Dylan O’Brien), is mourning the loss of life of his mom. She died in a automotive crash following a seizure, a medical incident that doesn’t make sense to Paris.
Ellie’s sister Anna (Caroline Falk) runs off sooner or later, sending the small city right into a frenzy. They type search committees, rallying each accessible physique to seek out the woman, hopefully alive and nicely.
Good luck. The sprawling waters would depart even the hardiest vacationers at a loss. The cinematography makes fantastic use of that reality, creating an eerie canvas lengthy earlier than the woman goes lacking. It solely grows knottier from there.
Can Anna be discovered? What mysteries lurk inside Caddo Lake? How do these tales intersect?
‘Caddo Lake’ Interviews: Eliza Scanlen And Filmmakers Celine Held And Logan George On Their Southern Sci-Fi Max Thriller – Punch Drunk Critics https://t.co/lzvzCHMSKX
— Punch Drunk Critics (@pdcmovies) October 8, 2024
Simply realize it’s no accident that M. Evening Shyamalan co-produced the movie. Author-directors Celine Held and Logan George lean into that filmmaker’s imaginative and prescient, however they fail to copy his sense of storytelling whimsy.
There’s little outwardly improper with “Caddo Lake.” Strong performances. Credible manufacturing design. A setting that screams out for an unsettling thriller. The story by no means builds the requisite pressure, and the angst in play feels secondary, within the service of a better narrative engine that by no means roars to life.
All these earnest items can’t coalesce right into a sci-fi yarn value our time. Even scenes designed to ratchet up curiosity play out extra like a puzzle with its items scattered throughout the room. The image ultimately comes into focus, however by then we’ve misplaced curiosity.
The actual-life Caddo Lake, a cypress forest hugging the borders of Texas and Louisiana, impressed the filmmakers. That speaks to their aesthetic sense and potential. The unfolding story lacks the grit and gravitas to benefit from that distinctive setting.
HiT or Miss: “Caddo Lake” affords some tangled surprises however can’t maintain our consideration.
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