One of those generic stalker turned SAVIOR type films!
14 Reviews
This is NOT a thriller
swedish_lioness5 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Why is this movie labelled "thriller"? I don't get it. It should be labelled "drama", because that's what it is.
A young woman who is trying to make a living as a vlogger, is dumped by her boyfriend, so her rich friend brings her to a remote house by a lake. Of course there's no cell reception and the car breaks down. Could it be more cliche? Yes, it can. The two gorls run into a man while hiking and decide to offer him to stay with them for the weekend. Because who wouldn't invite a perfect stranger into their house, right? And the cliches just keep on lining up when the former boyfriend turns up at the house, wanting a second chance. When his request is turned down, he admits to having slept with the rich friend. The stranger kills him when the girls aren't watching as he's been secretly stalking the vlogger and wants her for himself. So predictable it's laughable! And the ending is equally predictable.
If you want to see a drama about a young woman who comes to the conclusion that she needs to make some changes in her life in order for it to be more fulfilling, than check this movie out. If you're in the mood for a decent thriller, give this one a miss. As a drama, this movie is ok. As a thriller it's really bad.
A young woman who is trying to make a living as a vlogger, is dumped by her boyfriend, so her rich friend brings her to a remote house by a lake. Of course there's no cell reception and the car breaks down. Could it be more cliche? Yes, it can. The two gorls run into a man while hiking and decide to offer him to stay with them for the weekend. Because who wouldn't invite a perfect stranger into their house, right? And the cliches just keep on lining up when the former boyfriend turns up at the house, wanting a second chance. When his request is turned down, he admits to having slept with the rich friend. The stranger kills him when the girls aren't watching as he's been secretly stalking the vlogger and wants her for himself. So predictable it's laughable! And the ending is equally predictable.
If you want to see a drama about a young woman who comes to the conclusion that she needs to make some changes in her life in order for it to be more fulfilling, than check this movie out. If you're in the mood for a decent thriller, give this one a miss. As a drama, this movie is ok. As a thriller it's really bad.
Beyond awful
deedrala28 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
After taking a long, much-needed break from Lifetime turkeys, I come back to THIS?!
They've obviously run out of original ideas and storylines (wait, they actually ran out of those a long time ago), since this is yet another tired old rehash with a few newly-contrived twists in an attempt to make it look halfway fresh. It's too slow in a failed attempt to build suspense, and the reveal near the end (Brian stalking her since grade school) is.......meh. The dialogue was painfully dreadful, the Amy character was like fingernails on a chalkboard every time she opened her mouth, and how incredibly stupid of two lone women out in the wilderness to invite a perfect stranger to not only come into their house, but to stay in said house overnight with them after only knowing him for a few hours.
Ridiculously unbelievable tripe. The reviewers here who gave it 8 and 10 - actually anything over 2 - obviously wouldn't know a truly great, high-quality movie if they saw one.
*Note: The Tara actress strongly resembles Marlo Thomas back in her heyday.
Grade F / 1 out of 10.
They've obviously run out of original ideas and storylines (wait, they actually ran out of those a long time ago), since this is yet another tired old rehash with a few newly-contrived twists in an attempt to make it look halfway fresh. It's too slow in a failed attempt to build suspense, and the reveal near the end (Brian stalking her since grade school) is.......meh. The dialogue was painfully dreadful, the Amy character was like fingernails on a chalkboard every time she opened her mouth, and how incredibly stupid of two lone women out in the wilderness to invite a perfect stranger to not only come into their house, but to stay in said house overnight with them after only knowing him for a few hours.
Ridiculously unbelievable tripe. The reviewers here who gave it 8 and 10 - actually anything over 2 - obviously wouldn't know a truly great, high-quality movie if they saw one.
*Note: The Tara actress strongly resembles Marlo Thomas back in her heyday.
Grade F / 1 out of 10.
So bad
mindyvegas11 March 2021
I am forcing myself to finish watching this movie even tho the character Amy is making me wanna pull my ear drums out. She has to be the worst part of this movie. Her acting and hand gestures are so over the top extra. I could never be friends with someone who speaks like this or acts like this and how she got the part is beyond me
What in the actual world?
leepererin24 July 2021
Absolutely not...please give me my 90 minutes of my life back! Amy gave me a headache and now I'm stuck taking 3 Tylenol. Horrible acting and I would of punched her face in. Could of made a nice movie but this turned into a disaster!
No
lcherresse18 January 2021
SO slow
adinagoodwin17 January 2021
"You Never Can Move Forward Until You Let Go of Your Past"
lavatch28 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Tara, the protagonist of "Dead in the Water," feels burdened by the past. Tara's bestie, Amy, recognizes how her friend needs to get unstuck from the guilt she feels from her brother John's death a decade ago. She also needs to overcome her parents' resentment of her after John's drowning.
Tara will be put to the ultimate test when Amy invites her to spend a weekend at her parents' beautiful lake house. An aspiring photographer who runs a vlog, Tara feels that she is a failure in life, "slinging French fries" as a waitress and obsessing about her victimhood. Tara brings along her camera and special lenses to try out in the lap of nature, and she inadvertently captures the image of a voyeur on one of her photographs. She also brings along a lot of baggage from the past.
Things take a turn towards a nightmare when a mysterious stranger calling himself Lucas arrives at the lake house. Lucas seems to be interested in both women. But it soon becomes clear that he is obsessed with Tara.
Again, Lucas will figure in the burden of Tara's past when it is revealed that he is "Brian," who was befriended by Tara in the sixth grade, then became obsessed with her for years. It was Brian who killed Tara's brother John, never realizing that the incident would be the source of her torment for the past decade.
The filmmakers switch gears stylistically when Tara's erstwhile boyfriend Derek shows up at the lakeside retreat. The film now moves into the horror genre when the jealous Derek, who had been sleeping with Amy, is brutally murdered by Lucas/Brian. At one point, Derek referred to Lucas/Brian as "a backwards rando." He probably should have said "Rambo."
The best dialogue in the film was the acerbic repartee between Tara and Amy. There was one unforgettable cat fight in which the two women leave nothing on the table about how they feel towards one another.
In order to fully let go of her past, Tara is put through a gruesome trial. Somehow, the bond between Tara and Amy survives. But the final directorial touch on the film of a sinister shadow following Tara implies that she still may not have fully broken the shackles of a deeply troubled life and that she may still be metaphorically dead in the water.
Tara will be put to the ultimate test when Amy invites her to spend a weekend at her parents' beautiful lake house. An aspiring photographer who runs a vlog, Tara feels that she is a failure in life, "slinging French fries" as a waitress and obsessing about her victimhood. Tara brings along her camera and special lenses to try out in the lap of nature, and she inadvertently captures the image of a voyeur on one of her photographs. She also brings along a lot of baggage from the past.
Things take a turn towards a nightmare when a mysterious stranger calling himself Lucas arrives at the lake house. Lucas seems to be interested in both women. But it soon becomes clear that he is obsessed with Tara.
Again, Lucas will figure in the burden of Tara's past when it is revealed that he is "Brian," who was befriended by Tara in the sixth grade, then became obsessed with her for years. It was Brian who killed Tara's brother John, never realizing that the incident would be the source of her torment for the past decade.
The filmmakers switch gears stylistically when Tara's erstwhile boyfriend Derek shows up at the lakeside retreat. The film now moves into the horror genre when the jealous Derek, who had been sleeping with Amy, is brutally murdered by Lucas/Brian. At one point, Derek referred to Lucas/Brian as "a backwards rando." He probably should have said "Rambo."
The best dialogue in the film was the acerbic repartee between Tara and Amy. There was one unforgettable cat fight in which the two women leave nothing on the table about how they feel towards one another.
In order to fully let go of her past, Tara is put through a gruesome trial. Somehow, the bond between Tara and Amy survives. But the final directorial touch on the film of a sinister shadow following Tara implies that she still may not have fully broken the shackles of a deeply troubled life and that she may still be metaphorically dead in the water.
Too Painful to Watch
patriots342819 January 2021
Electrifying
marian-g17 January 2021
Well I have to be a bit biased with the review since I used to be an aspiring photographer myself.
Another guaranteed TV movie ride by Lifetime Movies in the suspense/thriller section. In this movie in the exact order first the suspense and then thrilling end which could have happened in real life (that's why I get the bad review of previous reviewer about unbelievability) but still in far-fetched novel more likely.
I do not agree with the commenting that the movie is "very boring" or "predictable".
Ok, it's not the edge of your seat movie but the storyline and the interaction of main characters within the substantial part of movie is electrifying and gradually building up towards the dramatic end.
My 8/10 rating is also due to beautiful camera work, environment near the lake and classy feel and the choice of the very main talented/ convincing character.
VIEWS ON FILM review of Dead in the Water
burlesonjesse527 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"There's someone watching us". I'm watching Dead in the Water right now and I'm about to review it. It's Lifetime so time to break the cork out!
Anyway in 2021's Dead in the Water, the "dead" refers to a nasty brother who drowns after bullying his sister. That scene comes to in a series of flashbacks throughout. One of said flashbacks nearly gave me the creeps. You'll know if you take in a viewing.
So OK, Dead in the Water is a mystery half-thriller that struggles to find its footing. You don't know what it's about or how it's about until an hour in. The good-looking actors do their best with an uneven script as their tones shift on a dime. Oh and Dead in the Water's setting is forestry luridness that never quite gives you its location (it sure looked like Oregon to me).
Directed, written, and produced by one woman (Simi Valley's own Nanea Miyata), Dead in the Water chronicles a photog named Tara (played by Catherine Lidstone). Tara gets dumped by her rocker boyfriend and decides to pertain in a weekend getaway with bestie Amy (Angela Guiner). From there, chaos and conflict ensues when the two cross paths with a scruffy drifter named Lucas (played by Tyler Hoechlin lookalike Peter Porte).
Dead in the Water looks good even if you don't get its initial gist. That's thanks to lush cinematography by Nathan Haugaard that appears like something Sam Mendes would have done circa twenty years ago. Director Miyata is also committed as she gets all Hitchcockian on us. Nanea uses interesting camera angles, slow burn minatory, and stylish whims to get the audience going. Her film eventually takes the easy way out by descending into a plot about a psycho obsessing and stalking a young female. No freshness winding up here just "dead" load.
Anyway in 2021's Dead in the Water, the "dead" refers to a nasty brother who drowns after bullying his sister. That scene comes to in a series of flashbacks throughout. One of said flashbacks nearly gave me the creeps. You'll know if you take in a viewing.
So OK, Dead in the Water is a mystery half-thriller that struggles to find its footing. You don't know what it's about or how it's about until an hour in. The good-looking actors do their best with an uneven script as their tones shift on a dime. Oh and Dead in the Water's setting is forestry luridness that never quite gives you its location (it sure looked like Oregon to me).
Directed, written, and produced by one woman (Simi Valley's own Nanea Miyata), Dead in the Water chronicles a photog named Tara (played by Catherine Lidstone). Tara gets dumped by her rocker boyfriend and decides to pertain in a weekend getaway with bestie Amy (Angela Guiner). From there, chaos and conflict ensues when the two cross paths with a scruffy drifter named Lucas (played by Tyler Hoechlin lookalike Peter Porte).
Dead in the Water looks good even if you don't get its initial gist. That's thanks to lush cinematography by Nathan Haugaard that appears like something Sam Mendes would have done circa twenty years ago. Director Miyata is also committed as she gets all Hitchcockian on us. Nanea uses interesting camera angles, slow burn minatory, and stylish whims to get the audience going. Her film eventually takes the easy way out by descending into a plot about a psycho obsessing and stalking a young female. No freshness winding up here just "dead" load.
Technically Nice
rengarcia-1403021 January 2021
I enjoyed this suspense/thriller since I wasn't entirely aware of the entire premise or story and I came from it not being disappointed, as I have been with more contemporary productions. Lately, I've seen movies that totally rely on a gore and violence fest to keep the audience entertained. I liked the characters who were not over-the-top and pretty much kept the story going in the movie. The camera work was quite smooth and artsy without having to resort to craggy shots from one scene to another, which I see in modern thrillers. I was entertained enough to like it for a Saturday night pick.
Good movie
rhonnie-4313924 July 2021
I liked it. I found it creepy and full of suspense. The BFF is kind of a shallow character but the fact that I disliked her so much is a good thing.
The story was interesting. Better than a lot of other Lifetime movies.
The story was interesting. Better than a lot of other Lifetime movies.
Refreshing and unique
michelleoverton10 April 2022
I loved this show! Ok it's the prequel or start of Fear but on the submarine USS Pennsylvania and the soldiers are experiencing the zombie apocalypse onboard. Great to get a look at what happened before Morgan & Grace ended up on the submarine. This episode had me rewinding and screaming too. TWD fans shouldn't miss this one.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
