Lulling us into the predictable rhythms of a slasher,Lake Bodompulls the rug from underneath us at the halfway mark and becomes more of a meta-slasher than we realized. Though it is noScream, thisunderrated Finnish horror makes its own subversive impact on the genre in its delicately gory way while paying homage to its predecessors. Creatively drawing on gruesome inspirations, from the true story it is based on to the cult classics within the slasher genre,Lake Bodombecomes an amalgamation of previous ideas that are put together in a fresh and frightful way. That’s not saying that it is a rip-off of the staples in the genre but rather a tribute that acknowledges the stories that came before while also using the past as a medium to subvert our expectations and conventions of the genre.
Lake Bodom
Lake Bodom is a Finnish horror film inspired by the real-life, unsolved Lake Bodom murders of 1960. It follows a group of teenagers who decide to camp at the infamous site to reconstruct the events of the night of the murders. As they delve into their investigation, they quickly realize they are not alone. The past horrors begin to resurface, and they find themselves facing a terrifying ordeal.
‘Lake Bodom’ Was Inspired by a Decades-Old Unsolved Murder Case
With sleek cinematography and crisp lighting,Lake Bodomfirst draws us into the curious details of one of Finland’sbiggest unsolved crimes. A black screen briefly introduces us to the horrific events of 4th June 1960,when four teenagers went camping at Lake Bodom, a real location in Finland, and were brutally murdered, leaving one lone survivor. The case is perpetually divisive. Many people believe Nils Gustafsson, the survivor, had gone into a jealous frenzy and killed his girlfriend and the couple he was camping with, deliberately stabbing and hurting himself to abstain from guilt (viaThe Guardian). He claimed he had no recollection of what happened, and was never charged. With the identity of the culprit still unconfirmed, it’s made way for decades of theories about who the Bodom murderer could be. The Bodom killer has made a vicious mark on Finnish history and worldwide pop culture, with locals invoking his presence to keep children in line and the media becoming completely crazed by him. The events of that night have inspired books, conspiracy theories, the name of a rock band, and, in 2016, a movie.
However, directorTaneli Mustonendoesn’t simply recount the horrors of that night and instead weaves it into the lore of his film, allowing it to make as significant of an impact on his fictional world as it did the real one. Half a century after the murders,Lake Bodomfollows another group of four teenagers to return to the hallowed site. With ample lighting, lush green forests, and basic cinematography, the film quietly sets up the dynamics between the characters and how they react to history. Atte (Santeri Halenheimo) is the driving force, determined to reconstruct the details of the night before touncover any clues to solve the crime. Elias (Mikael Gabriel) is your typical teenage boy who is preoccupied with one thing, while Ida (Nelly Hirst-Gee) and Nora (Mimosa Willamo) gape in horror when they realize they are not going to a cabin party but instead camping on tainted ground.
One of the Earliest Slashers Ever Connects to an Old Hollywood Tragedy
There is a sad backstory to one of the horror movie’s actresses.
Besides being a creative and fresh way to interact with history, the film also handles the re-imagining in a slightly meta way.Atte’s character in particular leans into the morbid fascination today’s society has with true crime, especially as the film closes out on another teenage group hiking out to the corrupted land. This cyclic structure also hints at how the horror genre loves gripping its claws into the tagline “based on a true story.” Particularly as there are certain horrific tragedies and figures that are constantly recycled in pop culture, with films adapting them over and over again, like the cases ofEd and Lorraine Warren, whose careers have been nitpicked countless times. Or even simply drawing inspiration from specific details of a gory case, likethe human skin-wearing Ed Gein, the deceivingly charismatic Ted Bundy, orthe cannibalistic Jeffrey Dahmer.
‘Lake Bodom’ Pays Homage to the Slasher Genre
WhileLake Bodompoints out the cyclic nature of horror, it also shows the genre some love by paying homage to cult classics. The film fleshes out Ida’s backstory, delving into why her parents were so taut with her in the opening scene and her quiet demeanor during the trip. We discover that she passed out at a party after drinking too much, and the next day, rumors circulated about nude pictures of her, leading to (unjustified) shame and guilt on her behalf. This is accompanied by a scene in the school’s communal bathrooms and lockers, where the camera follows a string of leering guys aroundIda as she stands back and tries to cover herself with just a towel, invoking a striking resemblance to thelocker room scene inCarrie. Both female protagonists have their innocence attacked in a high school setting, and both struggle to regain power over the situation.
As the crisp lighting of the greenery slowly darkens into a claustrophobic and menacing landscape, the film tumbles into a flurry of violence and brutality right intothe ending that distinctly echoes that ofWolf Creek. The isolated vastness of the woods itself already feels like the Finnish version of the outback, but it is the idea of thelone survivor of the bloody mayhem not being believed by the police or public that most resemblesWolf Creek. TheAustralian horror is also inspired by two separate serial killers, though both were eventually arrested and imprisoned, unlike in the unsolved Finnish case. By using a similar ending, where the sole survivor proclaims they were hunted by a deranged man but the lack of evidence points to him not existing,Lake Bodomskillfully weaves its homage and its source material together to close out on a chilling and dread-laden note.
There is also no denying the connection betweenLake BodomandFriday the 13th— teenagers being massacred by a maniacal axe-wielding murderer near a lake. The similar setup can be attributed to the speculations ofFriday the 13thalso being based around the same real events, though none of the production team have ever confirmed this (via CBR).
‘Lake Bodom’ Is Subversive Like ‘Cabin in the Woods’
However, the most obvious inspiration forLake Bodomappears to beCabin in the Woods, as the upending twist inLake Bodomconveys similar tonal shifts and subversion of the genre.Lake Bodominitially lulls us into the familiar trappings of a slasher, setting up that initial “plot twist” of “Surprise! There is no party, instead we are doing this foolish thing,” thentopping it off with the domino effect of inane decisions, sex-crazed behavior, and a self-sacrificing rolled ankle. It’s a comfortable narrative withclichéd tropes, but never borders on campy, as the cinematography is too clean and deliberate. As such, it is about the halfway mark where we realize we have been gaslit into believing this was a traditional slasher, and if anything,Lake Bodomonly included so many classic horror tropes to eventually upend them.
Before we delve into the barrage of twists in the second half of the film, if you haven’t watchedLake Bodomyet, go watch it now on Shudder and come back. Now that you know that the girls were actually the ones calling the shots, that Nora made up the rumor because she is obsessed with Ida, and that the mysterious killer is real, you realize that the farcical shift can only really be compared toCabin in the Woods. The moment Nora stabs Elias,the tone of the film radically shifts from dark, menacing, and frantic, to pure ludicrous. It is as jarring as theCabin in the Woodsscenes of the corporate office taking bets on what monster the teenagers will release, becoming outwardly ridiculous yet still innately unnerving. Both films' finales are also comparable, as they end on sinister notes, with theancient gods rising in the classicand a graphic close-up montage scored with visceral screams inLake Bodom. That being said,Lake Bodom’s ending is certainly more scarring in its approach, allowing its unpredictability to keep us on our toes all the way to the credits.
‘Lake Bodom’ Plays With the Predator and Prey Roles in Slashers
Absurdity is not the only wayLake Bodompays tribute toCabin in the Woods. While subverting the tone of a slasher,Lake Bodomis also subversive in how it allocates the traditional roles of prey and predator. The obligatory twist in the beginninginitially places the boys at the height of the food chain,as they manipulate the girls into participating in their recreation of the notorious murders. This is also inherent in how they speak about the elusive hunter, claiming that his old age would make him easier to fend off if anything were to happen. Then thefirst major plot twist deftly places the girls as predators, revealing that they have been in control all along. As such,the final plot twist sees the hunter claiming his throne at the top of the food chain, once again shifting the role of the villain.
This fluid power structure is also present inCabin in the Woods,as each of the three groups, the teenagers, the corporate workers, and the old gods, all take turns in gaining the upper hand, only for the ultimate evil to reign supreme. These films almost create a twisted hierarchy of “survival of the most psychotic,” reminiscent of pitting fictional horror villains against each other and debating who would win. As such,Lake Bodomstrategically draws inspiration from real and fictional avenues to construct a fresh yet harrowing bloodbath while being acutely aware of the genre it stands behind.
Lake Bodomis available to stream now on Shudder in the U.S.
