In ‘Bone Lake’, Love Hurts [Fantastic Fest 2024 Review]

We have seen a lot of horror exploring AirBnB/rental mishaps. From Superhost to Barbarian, it’s ground that’s been heavily trodden in recent years. So, we already know when a couple arrives claiming the app must have double-booked them for the weekend, it is most definitely a trap. However, Bone Lake led us to believe there would be some thrilling twists and turns. Or at least something a little scandalous to give us stuff to talk about at the water cooler at work. Sadly, the movie quickly jumps from an almost erotic thriller to a film based on a couple rekindling their love by doing trust exercises to escape another couple. While that’s not as enticing as the premise made it seem, there’s still more to explore than the script offers.

Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) are in a relationship rut. Diego has recently quit his job to work on a novel making Sage the sole income in their home. She clearly doubts his ability and is obviously not happy with this financial arrangement. However, they have been dating for years and seem to only speak to each other in half-truths that never reveal their true feelings about anything. Which is why the foundation built on fake orgasms and a previous affair is a little shaky. So when Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita) show up during their romantic getaway seemingly rubbing how happy they are in the faces of Sage and Diego, it feels mean.

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To make things stranger, Cin and Will seem hellbent on breaking up Sage and Diego. This weird game starts off a little interesting but soon loses steam. Cin keeps trying to seduce Diego as she tells lies to try to get under Sage’s skin. Will is buddying up to Diego and crosses so many unbelievable boundaries that we must wonder why Diego needs this stranger to like him so much. Their forced bromance makes me think of Speak No Evil, another movie that frustrated me because I don’t understand characters who let people walk all over them. This fear of conflict allowing things to escalate is not a thing I personally understand.

After Diego shares his plans to propose to Sage using his grandmother’s ring, Will steals the ring and story, using both to propose to Cin. Instead of making a scene, Diego pulls him aside for a private moment. Will lies to him some more, and Diego opens up about an affair Sage had when they were first starting to date. Then he agrees not to tell the women the truth and wait for Will to figure out how to get the ring back. This is one of the many character choices that make no damn sense. I love the genre, but these movies about people choosing to be polite over saving themselves and their personal property hurts my brain.

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Bone Lake also has an uphill battle trying to make us root for Sage and Diego as a couple. It continues to lay out their issues and gaslight you into thinking they can make it work. Diego quitting his job and Sage having to masturbate in secret to not upset him are just two of many reasons they’re doomed. However, as an audience member keeping score, it seems these people are not meant to be. Watching them working towards acknowledging they are not a good fit would have been more interesting. However, it becomes obvious that if they survive this night, they will continue their regularly depressing routine.

While the third act is probably the most fun part of the movie, it also undoes anything semi-cool or mysterious this film offers. It quickly devolves into a soap opera with weapons and one unnecessary twist meant to be shocking to anyone who has not checked out mentally. This section of the film also highlights how one-dimensional all the characters are. 

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While the last third of the movie feels like a couple’s counseling session with blood, I must admit that the few kills we get look really sick. I’m here for the blood and carnage, even if I’m not sure Bone Lake did anything to earn it. However, it was nice to be rewarded for sticking around until the end of this painfully generic story told with these flat character types. This project feels like the beginning of a fun idea that needed to be workshopped a bit more. I appreciated the quick runtime and enjoyed looking at the house where these odd games occurred. However, I wish there were more nice things to write about on this side of the journey. 

Bone Lake probably is not the movie most of us were expecting to see when from the title and the film’s synopsis. While on paper, it sounds like an erotic thriller that will be packed with murder and sex, it’s actually very tame, focused on exploring one couple’s relationship journey. The project showed a little promise at the start. However, it peters out and becomes something you would randomly catch on Tubi and forget about the morning after.

Tags: Bone Lake Fantastic Fest

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