Lanier (2023) User Reviews

um.....not quite what i was expecting

[paigealeigha · 2/10 · 25 November 2023]

In all honesty it made me laugh more than anything, the acting was.....about equivalent to the acting of my middle school drama class. I couldn't quite keep up with who we were supposed to be rooting for, unless if it's mental health awareness bc dude had some issues with schizophrenia for sure....uh also i can't help but think this may give a bad rep towards black people, as they were taking tourist groups, consisting only of white people, and drugging and murdering them while justifying it as "black history" but the card board, paper cutouts, and dollar tree moss diorama scene really added a sense of je ne sais quoi, if you will lmaooo, or maybe it was the poor taxidermic wolf in the one scene, that HAD to have come from the pendergrass flea market.....uh overall...the movie was not really worth the 5.99 renting fee.....but hey i appreciated the "hat man" reference so with that, i tip my hat and bow to ya, but no fr don't watch this movie.

Terrible movie

[BladeRunner2049 · 2/10 · 27 March 2024]

The only good thing about this movie is the scenes of Lake Lanier. The acting was forced and the story didn't really make much sense. It's true there was some racism and I believe what happened in Oscarville back in 1912 may have been true, but it had nothing to do with the building of the lake. I'm not quite sure what the point of the story was. I know the area very well, and it was interesting to see the different parts of the lake that were filmed as it moved between scenes. I would not recommend renting this... wait until it's offered for free on one of the streaming services. It must have been a low budget movie for sure.

Seriously Disappointed

[southernjelly · 2/10 · 11 February 2024]

I was excited to see a film that told the story of Oscarville, but this was far from it. I read reviews about the film being historically accurate, really? The only accurate thing in this film was mentioning that Oscarville existed. Besides that it was a complete waste of $5.99! Plot holes, ridiculous situations that had nothing to do with the story and the acting was very similar to a high school play. So they just lure random white people to this lake house to "feed" them to the ancestors? Why? Simple revenge on those that didn't believe the city existed? And nobody knows this is happening? Ridiculous.

Wish it could've delivered on the promise

[willcburns · 5/10 · 19 September 2023]

Kudos for ambition and an interesting concept. Has the usual horror film problems of characters making obviously bad choices that make you lose respect for their intelligence. Like the law enforcement officer who voluntarily gives up his gun and then can't protect his family later. Or the woman who knows her husband has a mental illness and is homicidal but continues running a historical tour and putting people at risk.

The first half of the film has good lighting and some nicely done helicopter shots which is impressive considering the small budget. Unfortunately the later climactic scenes are shot in near total darkness and it's hard to build up tension when the audience can't see what the hell is going on. The shots with the ancestors walking up out of the water are creepy, but there was a missed opportunity to use some underwater photography. There's nothing spookier than a murky Georgia lake and it could've created some cool visuals, especially considering that this film is about the ghosts of a lost underwater town.

But the bigger issue is this film seems to have a political message but it's hard to figure out what that message is. Are we supposed to identify with the black characters whose ancestors have been victimized? If so, why are they being cast as the villains of this horror film? The intention is murkier than Lake Lanier.

Worst movie

[vrichman · 1/10 · 18 December 2023]

I paid 5.99 for this when I should have been paid 5.99 for watching it. The acting was terrible and the plot was stupid! The facts behind lake Lanier and mystery behind it should have made for a great movie that made people want to visit just to feel the vibe. The movie was a joke! The movie had very little to do with the history of the lake and very predictable. What a shame and disappointment! Hopefully someone else will create a movie based on the story of lake Lanier that will be worth watching but this one is not it! Don't waste your time or money on this low budget film! Sorry not trying to be mean but 🤷‍♀️

I wish I can leave no star

[m_herrera-09984 · 1/10 · 5 February 2024]

Rent this was a mistake ... I wish I can get my 5.99 back but I blame TikTok for telling me about the movie . The acting horrible . The story line could've used justice from the actors . The dollar tree cutouts of the town had me rolling . DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME ON THIS.

It was pathetic to watch and I love scary movies . I should've know it was going to suck when the guy from " mommas boy " or whatever that show is on TLC it was low budget .

SERIOUSLY DONT RENT THIS AT ALL . YOU WILL REGRET IT LATER DONT Waste Your Time DONT Waste Your Time DONT Waste Your Time DONT Waste Your Time DONT Waste Your Time.

One star was too many

[torigrce · 1/10 · 5 February 2024]

This movie was Terrible. They started with blue shading when the ghost appeared and then stopped. For whatever reason the black guy was the bad guy and that was weird since this was supposed to be a historical movie about the lake. The acting was atrocious. The "drunken" scene was blurry and then all the sudden the movie went so dark you could barely see anything.

The plot you couldn't even understand what was going on.

Why someone from Atlanta wasn't involved in making this movie I have no idea but that was seriously missing. There was nothing horror about this film nor suspense. A poor comedy yes. 0/10 do not recommend.

What a disappointment

[tiffanyshifflett-25093 · 1/10 · 25 November 2023]

This had potential to be great, however, it fell completely flat. The story line has many holes in it, character development doesn't happen, and there are many unlikely scenarios (firearms, not carrying a phone in a public park, etc). It has the right idea to educate people on the history of Lake Lanier but it does not translate well in the movie. It makes villains out of the victims and justifies serial murder under the umbrella of black history. Again, that could have been portrayed much differently. This interpretation was misleading.

This movie has the feel of a group of friends getting together one weekend and making a ridiculous movie just for laughs. The cardboard birdhouse and actual paper cutouts were hilarious. The felt Os pinned to the cheap costumes were also a nice touch.

Save your time and money and skip over this unless you want a good laugh.

2nd worst thing to happen to the citizens of Oscarville

[jessemobley · 1/10 · 21 January 2024]

The horrible acting and extremely low budget might have been a non-factor had this film made any legitimate attempt to incorporate the history of Oscarville and Lake Lanier but it fell more than short.

Don't waste your time or your $5.99. The entire movie felt like a couple of families taking vacation on the lake got drunk and decided to make an impromptu movie while they were there. If someone told me the screenplay was written on a napkin at 3AM in a Waffle House, I wouldn't be surprised.

I typically appreciate low budget and B movies, but I honestly cannot find a single redeeming quality about this waste of cinematic space.

I wish I didn't watch this movie

[eyleahharrison-44758 · 1/10 · 4 February 2024]

I hate this movie wasted time I could never back. This is a revenge horror film about the tragedy of Lake Lanier which in theory, sounds interesting.

The execution of said plot however, is horribly disrespected by the bad writing and acting however. The pacing of the movie is horribly rushed. The characters development is non existent to the point of not knowing or even caring to know the characters. The dialog is non-realistic and not in a artistic way. The environment lore related to the plot is not explored at all.

The only redeeming quality is the cinematography which even falls short at times.

I loved it!

[levi-82682 · 10/10 · 16 October 2023]

I think it's a good story. I just understand that it is not the way the real story goes. But I didn't find that a problem or hindrance when watching Lake Lanier. I do wonder how the disease came about. Did only the main character have a mental illness or how far back does it go into the family. A little more depth in the main characters would have been nice. I live in the Netherlands and the way I was able to watch it meant that there were no subtitles and that made it a bit harder for me to follow. Nevertheless, I thought it was a great movie. I work in healthcare myself and know what psychoses can do to people. And that can go deep and very far, which is why there could have been more depth in the story. Will there be a sequel or will you leave it at this story? I would like to see some more of you guys and films like this. I just loved it!

Should've bleached my eyes first

[ea-67274 · 1/10 · 27 January 2024]

Being from this area, we had high hopes for this, and looked forward to seeing familiar sights. It was so poorly and appallingly written, we could barely watch it. The most glaringly uncomfortable and shocking part was turning the victims of Oscarville, and it's tragedy, into evil minions, led by a man with probable mental illness, or quite possibly a brain tumor. Either way, it turned a genuinely tragic part of Georgia history into a farce. Please, research the history of Oscarville independently, and bleach your eyes before watching this. As other authors have noted, we should be paid to watch it.

My review..

[kristenewhite-05223 · 2/10 · 7 April 2024]

I'm a huge horror/ Suspense movie person!

I loved that they captured the history of lake Lanier BUT I was really bored at the beginning, it started to get good and then BAM it ended... I felt they could have done a lot more. I know it's a lower budget movie. But how it ended and how fast made me go...WHAT?! I was a bit upset by that ending..

Other than it ending right when it started to get good, It was a good movie. I would tell people this and still recommend it.

Everyone has their own opinions though.

P.s 1,100 people were violently forced out in 1912, due to a " racial cleansing ". Soon, the town was flooded, to make lake lanier. For the memory of Oscarville, and the people who lived there.

What was that?

[layzettelasvegas-86441 · 1/10 · 4 May 2024]

I decided to support the creation of this movie and I did wonder why the cost was reduced but decided to purchase. From the beginning it gave the vibe of a B movie but decided to go ahead and continue watching. My expectation of an excellent historical lesson failed miserably right from the beginning. Bad actors, no real story line. I struggled to watch this one, fast forwarding here and there. I am so glad that I watched this alone because I would have been totally embarrassed making this a movie night with anyone. I believe this movie will be free to watch soon. I hope you're able to get through it if you have time to waste.

This is one of the worst movies ever made

[jceverett · 1/10 · 21 April 2024]

I was kind of excited to watch it being I've read a lot on the history of the lake. I'm all for history but the racial card being constantly crammed down my throat didn't help at all. I thought this was about the Lady of the Lake. The

It was horrible. Even though I only wasted $5.99 on renting it, I'm glad that was all.

Take my advice, do not waste the few dollars, or the amount of time of your life you'll never get back. Do something constructive with that time, such as anything besides watching this. If you enjoy the most horrible ending in screen play ever, this is your film.

I enjoyed typing this more than watching it.

Historical Record of Lake Lanier

[melcolmaslam · 10/10 · 26 November 2023]

This movie is must watch. Lake is Lanier is one of the greatest lakes in the United States. Named for Georgia poet and musician Sidney Lanier, Lake Lanier was created in the 1950s when the United States Army Corps of Engineers built Buford Dam for purposes that included flood control, power generation, and recreation. There is so much history that people don't know about. This movie depicted the beauty of the lake. Acting in this movie is very well done. This movie was not too long and keeps you engaged through out the movie. I definitely recommend you to watch it. I promise you won't regret it.

GREAT MOVIE

[keniabakhos · 10/10 · 29 January 2024]

This was a great film. Watched in person at movie theater. Learned about the history, great story line, great actors! I hope to see more movies from them. It's nice to see independent film makers from Georgia out together a great film like this. The special effects was very impressive, the story line was intriguing. It ended quickly wish the movie was a little longer. I really hope a big production company can help them make a part 2. I loved seeing the great drone shots of seeing the lake, loved the fight scene with Jeff and the intruder. I liked the get out vibe the movie gave off! I look forward to seeing more!

Great movie!!!

[breannaanavarro · 10/10 · 6 February 2024]

It was a great movie & the storyline behind it has upset a lot of people which is why they didn't like it. Yes they may not have had the highest budget for the movie. But the storyline alone, & the effort that the actors put in made it all the better. I would watch again anytime, I love the thought process, you can clearly see they tried to put as much detail as possible with what they had. The fact that the truth is upsetting so many people, because the truth hurts, and it should be told whether there be a small or large budget. & anyone that disagrees, it's because they were truly bothered by what their ancestors have done. But that's OK, I hope they go swimming in the real lake:). DEFINITELY A MUST WATCH!!

Historically Accurate & A Great Movie.

[carolvitaharris · 10/10 · 4 February 2024]

I wish I could review this twice! Please go watch! I was literally glued to the television the entire time. This movie is historically accurate and the ancestors should be proud. It connects the past and present. It let's the people know exactly why the ancestors are not happy in that place and why they will continue to reign terror because the "people" and we know which people just thought they could sin in that area and then put a lake on top of it like nothing ever happened. If you want a history lesson, as well as, to be thoroughly entertained, go ahead and rent or buy and watch this masterpiece!

I mean

[shakiraawhite · 10/10 · 10 February 2024]

I liked it, personally found nothing wrong with it. I mean you guys act like it was a high-end budget movie. My husband said that he always hoped for a movie that was something like this. The only complaint that I did have was that the racism was two forced coming from the actors, the white actors that he is I was ill MAFO at that part, but other than that the storyline was pretty good, I know not to go to Lake Lanier. Guys just give it a chance, I mean it's a movie. I appreciate the effort that a black producer took the time to make film and the casting wasn't even bad. Like the little daughter looked like the mom and then the little girl that was black looked like her parents so I'll give it a 10 for casting.

A Wonderful Twist on a Urban Legend

[wychetiffany · 10/10 · 11 February 2024]

The Lanier movie is a refreshing take on the dark and vague history of Lake Lanier. From the strange/abnormal drownings that happen every year at the lake without authorities seeing a reason to shut down the lake until the death toll rose high enough to gather national attention. This also shines a light on the continuous back handed system of racism and oversight, out of sight out of mind tendencies, until someone dies. Most people have no idea that there was once a diverse town residing under the lake and how the town and it's people ended up there without any media recognition. A great horror movie and chill type of viewing experience.

Great movie that covers local Georgia History well!

[klobandrew · 10/10 · 28 April 2024]

Highly recommend this horror/thriller film on Lake Lanier. As one who has grown up near this area, there are plenty of local legends about hauntings and all sorts of other eerie things happening at Lake Lanier. "Lanier" did a great job at not only playing with this theme, but also covering the history of Oscarville which I was previously unfamiliar with. For those who critique this film, the critique is unfair as this is a local film that covered a lot of ground in its plot and also presented a great movie that satisfies local Georgia natives and those who have no knowledge of any of it. I'm glad to see that someone finally tackled some of the legends/history of Lake Lanier and made it into a unique film. Definitely recommend!

Mixed messages muddy Lanier's waters

[burnettakam · 5 May 2024]

So the original premise seemed to be "people die in Lake Lanier because it is haunted by injustices committed against a black community", but the film abandons that and makes it about a secret cabal of black people sacrificing white people to the lake. For a movie that seems to want us to be sympathetic to actual historical injustices against black Georgians, characterizing every single black man in the movie as a murderous cultist out for revenge was certainly a choice. Not that the white family was any more sympathetic.

I feel like a straight up ghost story about a haunted lake would've made a lot more sense. I feel like the message ends up diminished a bit when it turns out he lake isn't haunted, it's just a bunch of guys murdering people they lure to the lake.