Lake Placid: Legacy

South Africa • 2018 • 93m •

• Directed by: Darrell Roodt. • Starring: Katherine Barrell, Tim Rozon, Sai Bennett, Luke Newton, Craig Stein, Joe Pantoliano, Alisha Bailey, Maxim Baldry, Greg Kriek, Gavin Lee Gomes. • Music by: James Matthes, Andries Smit.

A team of young explorers set out to reveal the secrets of an area removed from modern day maps and hidden behind electric fences. However, once they reach the center of the lake, they discover an island that harbors an abandoned facility with a horrific legacy: the island is home to a deadly predator eager to feast on those dumb enough to ignore the warnings.

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Trailer

1:09

TV Spot

0:31

Review:

This is the sixth movie in the franchise and the first to take it in a more serious direction - there is no comedy to be found here. And this is where one of the first issues arises. Because of the low budget and it's tv origins there is no gore, no (perhaps 1) kills - most occur off screen, and this is where humour could have supplanted the lack of "horror". The second and most glaring issue is the lack of croc - she is glimpsed in the shadows and there is swish of tail here and foot there, but until the final act we little. This would have been fine if this was the first in the franchise and the killer was an unknown entity, but when you are six into the franchise it's a failing. Thankfully it doesn't prove to be a massive one as the acting is above par for this type of flick, photography is good and at least one scene bathed in a red glow impressed me enough to check out the directors back catalogue and the dialogue is as expected, cringe inducing in some parts, but actually okay in others.

There is nothing original here, it's competent, tightly directed and quite engaging towards the end. Rated R in the US it's yet to get a UK classification but I would go for PG-13 or 12A and would be happy for my 8yr old to watch it without fear of nightmares, questions about sex or hearing her tut every time someone swears.

With a bigger budget, some decent kills and possibly some flesh this could have been a massive shot in the arm to the franchise that, by number 3, had turned into a poor Piranha knock off.

Review by jwmthurgood from the Internet Movie Database.

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