Surviving Crooked Lake
Surviving Crooked Lake
PG-13 | 24 July 2009 (USA)
Surviving Crooked Lake Trailers

A summertime canoe trip turns into a nightmare for four 14-year-old girls.

Reviews
Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away
ShangLuda Admirable film.
Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.
Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Reno Rangan This Canadian thriller-drama was a surprise. This little gem was well made despite financially belong to a lower grade. From the actors to the crew, all were fresh. This is a limited cast film about the four young teen girls who are stranded on a lake bank for days with a dead body. Trying to get back home, but lost their way in the wilderness. So they face numerous challenges, and risking their lives, they take a mission on their hands. But would they succeed or not what leads to the final segment of the narration.I have seen plenty of lost in wild and struggling to survive films. But this one was not one of those, except the story outline. In this, the girls are not concerned about their survival. Obviously, that's the first step anybody would consider for, but these girls are comfortable and confident on that. So what's this about then? This is about a quest they had undertaken that becomes theirs foremost priority. That's why it looked so fresh, despite there's no story in it, just the random happenings.So I think it is an underrated film. I was aware of this film when it came out, but had no luck to have a watch. Very engaging narration, there's always something keeps happening. That is one of the reasons to hook with it till the last, despite technical flaws. I mean, in many parts, the camera work was sloppy, like out of focus and too much close up shots. They might have done it deliberately, but the viewers won't feel comfortable in a normal film and this one wasn't a normal film, not to me.I loved the locations, feels like I want to visit there. I think the filmmakers used it perfectly to the story they wanted to tell us. I know the end should have been in detail, but I'm happy for its simplicity. Besides, small film like this can't afford fancy conclusion and to commercialise. Now this is kind of artistic portrayal of struggle, as well as very edgy film. Its okay if you're not interested in this, but you should try it if an opportunity is near to you.7/10
SnoopyStyle Stephannie lost her father and has relied on older brother Jonah. She's afraid of the waters and has attended summer camp with Jonah. It's the last summer for her and her friends Alysha, Candice, and Morgan. Steph reluctantly goes on a canoe trip with them after Jonah makes a switch to be their guide. One night, Morgan gets embarrassed with her crush Jonah and runs off. Jonah trips in the dark chasing her. The girls get lost while the unconscious Jonah gets worst and passes away.It's a real indie with amateur actors. In that sense, this is pretty good for what it is. The girls are competent actors. The movie starts in a hazy dreamy summery way. The camera lingers on the girls a little too closely. The movie takes another step up. There is one solid emotional moment when Stephannie refuses to let go. However, I get the feeling that the script simply runs out of ideas. The girls are nicely drawn characters. The writing needs to take advantage but it doesn't get to the next level. Steph shouldn't be left alone like that. It's the dialog and the movie simply runs out of steam in the end.
donald-martin-175-873978 I love this flick just for the nostalgia value -- you see I did years of field research many years ago at Algonquin Park and I recognize a lot of the venues in some of the scenes, especially near the beginning of the movie. As for the movie itself -- well -- the plot is a little silly, but I can suspend disbelief 'cause kids do often have very bad judgement and can get into unnecessarily complicated The acting is, for the most part, passable. situations. But the cinematic quality of the movie is top-notch. Just some really amazing scenes of the lakes and the shield, so distinctive of the region! and worth a view just for that -- and if you are a Canadian camper, it's the next best thing to being there (and no black flies!). Thumbs up!
mat-fletcher Sorry if your kid's are in this but that is no reason to pretend that this is a good movie, or give it a 10/10 vote.Put simply, this movie is very, very bad. It makes no sense at all, some how the guy in it manages to kill himself, i'm still unsure how that happened, then the girls inexplicably decide to walk out of the place carrying the body. Even though it only took them a day or two to paddle to where he died.No, instead of just paddling back the way they came (it's a lake according to the title) they give up and try and go on foot and predictably fail.No idea what this movie was trying to say, or do.Oh, apparently there are 'rapids' on lakes these days as well, and actually the lake looks like a river some of the time, when it suites the story.Story is a rather grandio term when really this is a mis-match of other stories shamefully pasted together into a nonsensical waste of an hour and half.Don't even download this for free.