Iconic slasher horror film with a twist. Influenced by 80's horror films, Crystal Lake paves the way for many slasher movies to come in the future. The genius of Crystal Lake is that it shows how the horror genre as a whole is richly equipped to deal with social issues. Crystal Lake is a loving homage to horror that has come before it, with a special connection to Friday the 13th. This film is raw and real.
Definitely a cult film which isn't for the squeamish due to subject matter but finally a film that took a risk, instead of the typical horror movies so prevalent today. I felt this film was a throwback to 1980's film era where there was a wide range of cinema experiments. You could tell the film's budget was limited, but I felt the performances from all the main characters were strong, especially the protagonist. Their change of character over the course of the film was done very well and at a good, believable pace not overdone or rushed. I felt the dialog was excellent along with the plot and special effects. Overall I would watch this again. Way better than 99% of whats coming out of Hollywood these days.