Clear Lake, WI (2009)

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Had much higher hopes for this film based on the trailer...but the film simply didn't deliver. The acting of "Kyra" and "Reed" was horrible. I suggest they take lessons or at least don't OVER-ACT or force it. I could have done a better job acting. And I'm not an actor. The story has SOME interesting facets except that the writers/director do not fully explore them. Had they done so, the film would actually have had a chance. No idea where the contamination of the town came from, this isn't properly explained in the film and neither is most of what is seen in the trailer. The film drags on, and on, and on...and on. I hesitate about calling this a horror or thriller because it doesn't really have these elements. The film simply doesn't deliver, on all counts.

I'm not an American resident and have only visited twenty or so states, but I've heard and read numerous times already – whether in jokes or more serious conversations – that Wisconsin is the most boring of all the United States of America. As I said, I can't really judge, but purely based on my viewing experience of "Clear Lake, WI" I'm tempted to believe the statement. The state of Wisconsin perhaps can't be held accountable for this dull and derivative movie, but the reference in the title definitely doesn't help their reputation. And yet, this movie displays a lot of potential in its basic premise and during the atmospheric opening sequences. I have a personal fascination for stories handling about ghost towns and religious small town cults, so I was immediately sold to "Clear Lake, WI". The plot centers on a young and ambitious girl student who reunites five former acolytes of the convicted reverend and self-acclaimed messiah of their hometown Clear Lake. Fifteen years ago, during the outbreak of a bizarre virus, the reverend proclaimed that the people of Clear Lake were being punished by God and encouraged his young disciples to help the Lord with this process. The return to Clear Lake doesn't only brings back old intrigues and affairs, but also oppressed nightmares and … a killer. The first full hour of the film goes by intolerably slow and practically nothing happens except for dire dialogs between characters you don't feel the least bit connected to. Biggest disappointment of all is the setting. The filming locations definitely don't raise the impression that they have been abandoned for fifteen years! The school building looks impeccably clean and the tiny paths through the woods are still easily accessible instead of bewildered. The whole thing becomes slightly – just slightly, mind you – more interesting when the killer strikes. There's a bit of tension and excitement during the third act, but the denouement is predictable and actually very logical. The DVD cover proudly pimps Michael Madsen's name, but naturally he only briefly appears during a couple of flashbacks. Not recommended.

I actually don't remember too much about this film. We watched it 2 days ago, and I have already, thankfully, forgotten most of it. It was just a generic, slasher type film with nothing to offer. Unbelievable story, unbelievable acting, and unbelievably bad. I feel sorry for the good people of the real town of Clear Lake, WI that have to have this film forever associated with their fine town. Thankfully, not too many people ever even heard about this film. I also feel sorry for the actors who had to endure the freezing weather on location, for what I'm sure will be very little return for their efforts, especially Michael Madsen, whom I love as an actor. Why he lent his name to this horrible excuse of a movie is beyond me. What was he thinking? Thankfully, he was only in it for a brief period of time and I'm guessing that he didn't have to leave the comfort confines of California for any of the shooting.

A girl decides to do a documentary about five people who were involved in murders fifteen years ago. She takes them back to where the murders happened to film the documentary. They split up to look for a man one of them saw in a supposedly deserted town, but can't find him. Of course people then start dying. The worst movie I have ever seen! I was so looking forward to it being from WI. The acting was horrible, the story lame, the camera shots shaky. My friend fell asleep twice it was so boring. The killer was so predictable we knew who it was right away. The nude scene was to long and unnecessary, like it was just thrown in so they could have a nude scene. The characters were so bad I didn't even care when they were being killed. Also very unrealistic. How did the killer get the dead bodies up on the basketball hoop by himself? I want my money back!!!!!