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Movie Review

Movie Reviews 101 Midnight Horror – The Lake on Clinton Road (2015)

logoDirector: DeShon Hardy

Writer: DeShon Hardy (Screenplay)

Starring: India Autry, Aram Bauman, Alan Benich, Anthony Grant, Brianna Jamison, Collin Jamison, Leah Jones, Tina Krause, Stephanie Marrone, Matty Poslunsy, Richard Ryker

Plot: When six friends from Massachusetts travel to the jersey shore, they end up on Clinton road at a house on a lake. They’re not alone, one by one they disappear, who will survive

There may be spoilers the rest of the review

Verdict: Spooking Slow Building

Story: The Lake on Clinton Road starts with a lady being questioned by the police about her dead seven year old son. The story being based on true events shows us a string of new stories about what has happened in around the Lake. Move to our group of teenagers/ young adults getting ready for a weekend away, Alex (Ryder), Jillian (Jones), Mark (Grant), Stacy (Autry), Jamie (Poslusny) and Amber (Marrone) are al there to celebrate Alex’s birthday.

As the friends reach the beach house which is no where near a beach but it is next to a lake much to the disappointment of the constantly complaining Stacy. Time for a montage of the night of drinks and partying between the friend. After Jillian spends a short time in the lake she starts noticing strange things happening which leads her to find an old photo of herself that simply couldn’t be there. With the second night f partying over events really start to happening when the people in the house start hearing things, feeling things and strange events haunt there dreams.

Night three increases the terror after Stacy disappears and Jillian starts acting very strange, the friends continue to see the hauntings but once you are affected you end up being taken by the spirit.

The Lake on Clinton Road is being sold as I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Evil Dead, while I do think it will be has elements of the Evil Dead I don’t really understand the Summer references. I don’t think the film looks enough into the history of the cabin because I do think that was very important too the final story. The craziness inside the cabin all works for an Evil Dead reference though. I did find the story very slow building because next to nothing happens in the first half of the film with the party, party time. Once the action does start I have to give this film the praise it deserves, it keeps you guessing to which character will be attacked next and keeping everything all very edge of your seat with the creepy level throughout. I do think this film get the pacing of the story wrong but saves itself with a nice ending. (6/10)

Actor Review

Richard Ryker: Alex is the future NFL star whose birthday weekend it happens to be, he is in a relationship with Jillian who has arranged this weekend and he stays loyal to his friends Mark and Jamie. Richard does a solid job but never really convinces. (5/10)

Leah Jones: Jillian is the girlfriend of Alex who has made this weekend happen, after she gets drunk and tries to swim in the lake strange things start to take place around the cabin, where she might have a connection to the cabin that she isn’t aware off. Leah does a solid job but again doesn’t stand out. (5/10)

India Autry: Stacy is the city girl who doesn’t want to be at a lake house she wants to be at the beach, she is Mark girlfriend and spends nearly every scene complaining about where they are. India does a simple job but I always love that character is out of place in a horror film because it adds comedy. (5/10)

Anthony Grant: Mark is Alex friend and fellow athlete who dreams of NFL in his future, who has joined them on the weekend with his girlfriend Stacy, he is trying to help Jamie get into shape as he knows that he could improve easily. Anthony does a standard job and is more interesting than the rest of the characters. (6/10)

Support Cast: The Lake on Clinton Road has a supporting that is just extra victims in the film not very much added by them.

Director Review: DeShon Hardy DeShon does a solid job directing once the film gets started. (6/10)

Horror: The Lake on Clinton Road does give us good scares once everything starts up but doesn’t give us enough near the start. (7/10)

Settings: The Lake on Clinton Road puts our friends into an isolated location which helps for the horror elements. (8/10)
Special Effects: The Lake on Clinton Road has good special effects used when the possession starts taking over. (7/10)

Suggestion: The Lake on Clinton Road is one for the horror fans to try, I think the fans will like it once everything gets started. (Horror Fans Try)

Best Part: The Horror happening.

Worst Part: Slow building.

Believability: No (0/10)

Chances of Tears: No (0/10)

Chances of Sequel: Left open to one.

Post Credits Scene: No

Oscar Chances: No

Runtime: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Tagline: A trip they will never forget… Or survive.

Overall: Party, Party, Scare, Scare, over

Rating 60

By Darren Lucas

Big Film fan and general entertainment fan

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