‘I am chilled!’ 

Having read the great reaction to this one after Grimmfest last year, and being familiar with writer/director Abigail Blacmore’s other work (including a hilarious stalkery mockumentary she made way back in the day about author Sarah Pinborough), I was more than eager to see her feature debut. It’s another anthology film in an overcrowded field, but is this one different enough to stand out from the crowd?

A bunch of old university mates gather at a secluded lodge to say goodbye to another friend who drowned in the nearby lake. But things, as they say, do not go entirely to plan… For starters Paul (Gameface’s Dustin Demri-Burns) has brought his latest conquest along, Miki (Kelly Wenham, last seen in the excellent Double Date), who has no connection to the group and is not really wanted there. It’s something Martha (Laura Fraser from Breaking Bad) is at pains to keep pointing out. But she’s got her own problems, what with a husband – Joe (The Office and Pirates of the Caribbean’s Mackenzie Crook) – who has a dicky ticker. Throw into the mix couple Emma (Sophie Thompson from The Detectorists) and Russell (Benidorm’s Johnny Vegas), who are just glad to be away from their kids for the weekend, and the scene is set to either have a ‘gang bang’ (which Russell suggests) or tell a few creepy stories… Either way, ‘It’s what Jonesy would have wanted.’

Paul’s ‘true’ story is first, all about his borrowed car and what happens when he goes to get it back. Then comes Martha’s unexpected tale by the lake, about a bored married couple whose visit to a haunted asylum has unexpected side-effects. Russell goes next with a Walking Dead-esque zombie romp, complete with comic book artwork and Russ doing his best Kiefer Sutherland (or similar) impression. Most chilling of all are Joe’s nightmare about hospitals and Emma’s terrifying monologue, but are there worse horrors to come?

The answer to the question posed above about standing out is a big fat yes! Tales from the Lodge is not only funny, it’s unnerving in all the right places, has a terrific twist and pays homage to everything from the old Amicus portmanteaus (as you’d expect from the title), to Rocky Horror – by way of David Lynch or Dennis Potter – from horror comics to slasher movies and even urban legends. This is a lovingly crafted movie, shot well and superbly acted, as you can imagine from such a great cast. The things I appreciated were the little character tics, such as Emma’s obsession with quiches or Martha’s crippling fear of spiders – which I think a lot of people can relate to – not to mention her tendency to let out pre-emptive screams. What also made this different was the fact that each of the actors directed their own little segments, making them even more personal and extra special.

Verdict: If you’re looking for something scary, fun and familiar yet different at the same time this Halloween, you won’t go far wrong with this one. ‘Just kill me now…’ 9/10

Paul Kane

Available on Amazon Prime Video now