'Bone Lake' review: Campy thriller serves up a playful slice of erotic suspense

Courtesy of Bleecker Street/LD Entertainment

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It’s clear the characters in Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s "Bone Lake" never saw "The Rental" or "Barbarian," because rule number one of Airbnb horror is simple: never share the space with strangers. Lucky for us, ignoring that rule sets the stage for some classic cat-and-mouse tension, where awkward encounters, simmering lust, and fragile relationships collide in a thriller as chilly as it is gleefully earnest. Like a trashy reality TV binge with an erotic edge, "Bone Lake" takes its title literally, carving out a sexy, suspenseful dissection of trust, temptation, and betrayal.

The bloody results might catch you off guard, but the journey there is less shocking than you’d hope, even if the tension is palpable. At its center is Diego (Marco Pigossi) and Sage (Maddie Hasson), an average couple trying to inject life into their stale routine with a weekend getaway at a remote mansion on Bone Lake. He’s hoping to reignite both his writing career and his relationship by dabbling in erotica fiction, while she’s quietly wrestling with their intimacy rift.

Their plans unravel almost immediately when another impossibly attractive couple, Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andrea Nechita), arrive claiming to have booked the same house. Instead of doing the logical thing and resolving the mix-up, the four decide to cohabitate for the weekend. Nothing bad has ever come from that choice, right?

From there, "Bone Lake" morphs into a series of tests, games, and provocations designed to probe the couples’ supposed devotion. Cin flirts with Diego under flimsy pretenses, often scantily clad, while Will makes increasingly aggressive moves on Sage. The duo’s ulterior motives are obvious but intriguing, and the setup recalls the erotic thrillers of yesteryear like "Fatal Attraction" and "Basic Instinct," with faint echoes of last year’s "It’s What Inside."

"Bone Lake" succeeds at its primary goal: keeping viewers hooked. Morgan leans into the uneasiness of the scenario with moody lighting, voyeuristic hidden-camera shots, and a committed cast that sells the implausibility with straight-faced conviction. The film’s campy energy works in its favor, even if a late, overblown monologue meant to explain everything feels hilariously unnecessary.

Silly, seductive, and tense enough to sustain its familiar premise, "Bone Lake" proves the 2025 horror streak is alive and well. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it makes the most of its setup with a mix of sex, suspense, and stylish mischief.

Grade: B

BONE LAKE opens in theaters Friday, October 5th