The Lodge

Main Plot

"The Lodge," directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, is a psychological horror film that follows a woman who is left alone with her fiancé's two children in a remote winter cabin. As a snowstorm traps them inside, unsettling events begin to unfold, and the woman’s troubled past resurfaces. The children, still grieving their mother's recent death, are initially hostile towards her, creating a tense atmosphere. As days pass, strange occurrences and eerie phenomena intensify, leading to paranoia and fear. The boundaries between reality and delusion blur, revealing dark secrets and testing the characters' sanity. The film builds a chilling narrative around themes of isolation, grief, and the haunting impact of past traumas.

Characters

• Riley Keough plays Grace, a woman trapped in a remote winter cabin with her fiancé's children, facing psychological terror as past traumas resurface.
• Jaeden Martell plays Aidan, a troubled teenager who, along with his sister, becomes trapped in a remote winter cabin with their father's new girlfriend, leading to psychological tension and horror.
• Lia McHugh plays Mia Hall, a young girl who, along with her brother, becomes trapped in a remote winter cabin with their soon-to-be stepmother, leading to psychological tension and horror.

Ending Explained

In the conclusion of "The Lodge," directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz, the film reaches a harrowing climax. Grace, the soon-to-be stepmother, is left alone in a remote winter cabin with her fiancé Richard's children, Aidan and Mia. The children, still grieving their mother's recent suicide, orchestrate an elaborate psychological prank to convince Grace that they are all dead and trapped in purgatory. They hide her medication, stage eerie events, and manipulate her fragile mental state, exacerbating her trauma from her past in a religious cult. As Grace's grip on reality deteriorates, she becomes increasingly paranoid and delusional, believing that they must atone for their sins to escape purgatory. The situation spirals out of control when Richard returns to the lodge. In a tragic turn, Grace, fully consumed by her delusions, fatally shoots Richard, believing it to be a necessary act of penance. The film ends with Grace, Aidan, and Mia sitting at the dining table, with Grace leading a prayer and a gun ominously placed on the table, suggesting an impending, grim fate for the children.