CADDO LAKE

US, 2024, 99 minutes, Colour.

Dylan O'Brien, Eliza Scanlen, Carolina Falk, Lauren Ambrose, Diana Hopper, Eric Lang.

Directed by Logan George, Celine Held.

Audiences who like something mysterious, Caddo Lake can be recommended. However, it is a difficult film to review, too many dangers for spoilers!

The first part of the film seems ordinary enough, filmed at Lake Caddo on the border between Texas and Louisiana, a vast lake, somewhat resembling the Everglades, the winding water, the overhanging trees and branches, swamp areas, suggestions of crocodiles, and the local town of Karnak. The atmosphere is authentic.

The first part of the film, it seems very ordinary in terms of human drama. There are two strands of the story – and audiences wondering when they will coincide. There is teenager Ellie, her father disappeared, her mother marrying again, a stepsister, the large family with its religious beliefs, her resentment at gatherings, but a good relationship with the stepsister, Anna. But, vocal clashes with her mother and stepfather.

The other strand focuses on the young man, Paris, played by Dylan O’Brien, initially seen drowning, but surviving, his mother having a seizure and dying underwater. He works in engineering developments around the lake, is obsessed with trying to understand his mother’s illness and seizures, whether the issue is genetic, meetings with his father, accosting a doctor in the parking lot, having all the charts concerning his mother.

The film drama changes, the tone changes when the stepsister, Anna disappears. One can say that the rest of the film is taken up with the people of Karnak searching for Anna, Elly becoming more desperate. And, Paris adventures more into the interiors of the lake, discovering its mysteries, sometimes overwhelmed.

Which is the time for a review to end, and googling indicates that practically all reviewers respect the issue of not giving spoilers. Because, while the first part seems ordinary, the change of tone in the middle of the film means that audiences are watching a film and its development that they might never have anticipated.

1. The title, the focus on the lake, the visuals of the lake, vast, warranty, in flood, dryer, the mud, the foliage in the shade, engineering, bridge, the dam? Atmosphere?
2. Filming at the actual lake and in the town of Karnak? The city the visuals of the town, shops, supermarket, streets, the home, engineering sites, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The mystery of the plot? Not revealing spoilers? The complexities?
4. The first part of the film, ordinary, introduction to Ali and her life, introduction to Paris and his concern about his mother? Having the lake in common? Ordinary human dramas? The disappearance of Anna? The change in the tone of the film, the structure, the interconnections of the times, the experiences? Mystery? Satisfying explanations – or not?
5. Ellie’s story, her mother, the disappearance of her father, and willing to be absorbed into the new family, antagonism with Daniel, the outbursts against her mother, her devotion to Anna, sharing with her, the shopping, the driving of the boat? Scenes at home? And is disappearance and the effect on her? Her own life, age, assertive, staying with Claire? The phone call and the disappearance? Change, her searching, the reactions of the town and the people, her becoming more desperate? The disappearances of the boats?
6. Paris and his story, the opening, underwater, his mother, the seizure, her death, his blaming himself? Years passing, his having all his mother’s records, checking them out, accosting the doctor in the parking lot, the discussions with his father? His mother’s illness, explanations, genetic or not, his trembling hand? The behaviour of his father, meetings, discussions? His work, the engineering, the fellow workers? The eerie atmosphere of the woods and the lake? His venturing out?
7. The supporting characters, Paris and the return of his girlfriend, the relationship, the discussions, his distancing her?
8. The supporting characters, Ellie, the family gathering, the tensions, the arguments? The sheriff, the townspeople searching for an?
9. The mystery of the lake, light and darkness, tortures and daylight, passing through certain areas, the effect on the ear, the resounding echoes, the effect, time change? Ellie and the rope to anchor her trip, the boat, the search, the rope cut?
10. Paris, the walls, the search, finding and wounded, carrying her, the past, the workers, suspicions, taking her away?
11. Anna, Julie finding her, taking her home?
12. Paris and the past, the future, his injuries, in the hospital, observing, the escape, stealing the car, the pursuit, diving into the River? The final encounter with his father?
13. Ellie, the past, the search, the encounter with Celeste, the news about Paris? At the computer, the googling, the information, with her mother, the truth about Paris?
14. The complexities of time, different dimensions, movement, influence of the past, the complexity of the relationships?