Hmmm? Time for another Review, and this time something a wee bit different than my usual Asian flavored films with a trip to scenic Finland for a look at director Joona Tena’s 2011’s psychological horror/ thriller “Syvälle Salattu” aka “Body of Water”.
My synopsis goes like this: “Environmental lawyer Julia Mannerla is tasked with reluctantly returning to her childhood home to help stop hydro-power developers from flooding the town and displacing the residents. Still dealing with her recent divorce, she and her young son Niko soon discover that a local folk legend about a water spirit in the lake is somehow deeply connected to old memories Julia had buried away in the back of her mind from all those years ago… and that the open hostility of the residents might not be the biggest danger they face by returning to Lake Hallow.”
Evil mermaid? Yep… seems to me this one plays on the myths of the Rusalka, mermaid sirens from old Slavic lore that lived in lakes and rivers and often lured the foolish or unwary to a watery doom. Yep. Sounds kinds creepy and fun… Then, of course, this wee lady likes all sorts of ghosts and spirits and odd folklore, and I’m super afraid of the water myself, so I’m certainly thinking this one has the possibility of entertaining me while completely scaring me silly. Want to know how it all plays out? Then you know what you gotta do, o’ Gentle Visitor!! 😉