I watched a horror film based on GA’s Lake Lanier. Here’s my review & how you can watch

A young woman seems lost and scared in the dark, trying to escape a masked figure who is relentlessly after her.

She trips, screams and is dragged out of view by the creepy figure. A brief struggle and splashing is heard from afar before complete silence settles the scene.

That was the opening scene of the 2023 film called “Lanier,” and when I saw this, I knew I was in for a treat.

It’s almost spooky season, after all.

I first came across this film on TikTok last year when the movie was wrapping up scenes on the lake.

That’s right, this movie was actually shot on and near the infamous haunted lake.

When I realized the film was out, I jumped at the chance to watch it on my own and write up a review.

I won’t spoil any major plot points, just in case you want to watch it for yourself. So, let’s get to it.

After the super creepy opening scene, the movie began focusing on the Stevenson family who won a getaway trip called “The Lake Lanier Experience.”

As you can imagine, the trip isn’t exactly what the family thought and is filled with more chills and thrills than actual rest and relaxation for the entire family.

A bit of foreshadowing was even created when Jane was trying to get her daughter, Kayla to guess where they were headed for the weekend.

“It’s a lake that rhymes with ‘fear,’” said Jane Stevenson.

“Oh, Lake Lanier,” said Kayla Stevenson with a smile.

Hmm, well if that isn’t a little odd?

So, essentially, when they arrive, some weird stuff starts happening, but it all centers around Daniel Wilson, a local black citizen.

Throughout the film, Daniel battles hallucinations of his grandfather, who was a resident of a town called Oscarville in Georgia.

If you’re unfamiliar with the history of Lake Lanier, Oscarville is an essential part of it all and a huge part of black history in the state of Georgia.

In the early 1800s, Oscarville was once a thriving, predominantly black town full of blacksmiths, bricklayers and carpenters. However, around 1912, after rape allegations from a white woman, countless riots and endless racial fights, every black resident was forced out of Oscarville and Forsyth County.

In the 1950s, the remnants of the town were flooded due to the construction of Lake Lanier.

In the film, Daniel’s grandfather desperately wants retribution for all the pain caused in Oscarville all those years ago. And although his grandfather has since passed, Daniel is constantly visited and haunted by his grandfather’s need for revenge. This fuels Daniel’s obsession with making the Stevenson’s pay for what happened, even if they aren’t aware of it yet.

At one point, Daniel tells the Stevenson family the truth of Lake Lanier. But, Jane Stevenson angers Daniel when she says she doesn’t think it’s really black history because it’s so “sickening” to think about.

“It is black history,” said Daniel. “And it is sickening.”

Needless to say, things get pretty violent.

At the end of the film, the tragedies of the lake are highlighted with a dedication, “Since its creation in 1956, nearly 700 people have drowned in Lake Lanier. In memory of everyone that has lost their life at Lake Lanier.”

Overall, I enjoyed the storyline and premise of the film because it touches on the history of Oscarville, which many Georgia residents have never learned. Being from Georgia, I’ve always heard people say, “Did you know there’s a town under this lake?” but never the whole story.

I liked that the film kept reminding viewers that Oscarville was a very real and crucial part of black history and like many parts of black history, it is often forgotten, ignored or not believed is true.

I do believe the film was a bit cheesy in some scenes. But, what horror film isn’t at least a little cheesy? And what’s up with the film’s poster? It doesn’t illustrate any of the actual plot in the movie. The movie poster makes it seem like the film would focus more on the disappearances and unexplained drownings, rather than the history of the lake.

Overall, I give this movie 2 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn’t know the history of Lake Lanier. However, if you’re looking for extra creepy scares, this movie definitely could have used more.

If you’re ready to watch it yourself, “Lanier” is now available on Prime Video to rent for $4.99 or own for $11.99.

The full trailer for the movie is available on YouTube.

Have you watched this film? What did you think? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com.

Show featuring chilling tales of Georgia’s Lake Lanier tops the charts on Netflix

Vampires, zombies & psycho killers. Here’s a list of horror movies & shows filmed in Georgia.