It's been a long, long time since I took a chance and watched a horror film knowing nothing about it beyond a brief synopsis- in this case, the one on Amazon Prime. I'm glad I took that chance on this occasion. The title of this Russian horror feature is misleading, because it's really a ghost story that blends its ghost in with the folklore of Rusalka, a sort of freshwater mermaid or undine of Russian legend. But the film more than nods to the classic ghost story, and at not one but two points seems to pay homage to M.R. James himself. Some scenes are also - perhaps inevitably - reminiscent of the Japanese classic, Dark Water.
So, having given it high praise, that's it about? The plot is comparatively simple. In a pre-title scene we find a man and his wife on the shore of a rural lake. She is trying to save him from something, but in doing so she falls victim to an unseen but clearly formidable watery menace. There's also one of those little voice overs spelling out the legend of Rusalka, just so we get the point. The action then moves to the present day and pool where Roma, a competitive swimmer, is teaching his girlfriend Marina to swim. Not very successfully, as is turns out.
The inevitable rambunctious friend, Ilya, learns that Roma's estranged father has given a small, run-down dacha to his son as a wedding gift. The idea is to sell the place so the couple can afford a flat, but Ilya decides that the stag night must be held there. But in the event, Roma does not feel in the mood for a party with post-Soviet strippers and goes down to the lake for some free swimming. There he encounters a girl, who enchants him into kissing her on the jetty (which is still illegal in some parts of Russia). The mysterious, long-haired girl asks him if he loves her. He gets a bit tongued-tied.
Meanwhile, back in the city, Marina is having trouble with her sink and resenting Roma for not being there to fix it. She calls him but he's not picking up. Much watery mystery ensues until Roma's pals find him on the lake shore the following morning. Nearby is an old-fashioned wooden comb. The sort of comb a girl might wear in her hair back in the days of the Czars...
Once she has set her sights on him, the damp enchantress starts to sap away at Roma's health and sanity. The first M.R. Jamesian moment comes when a bed curtain manifests itself as the Rusalka. The moment is echoed later with an actual bedsheet, so it seems as if someone has read '"Oh Whistle...'". There are also some clever variations on the standard jump scare as the menace reveals an ability to deceive the eye. A trip to the estranged father provides some handy exposition, and a slightly dour Russian version of the Scooby Gang set off for the dacha to try and deal with the threat.
I can't give too much away, but suffice to say this is a ghost story that keeps you guessing and is deeply satisfying. In central role of Marina, Viktoriya Agalakova combines the look of a wide-eyed waif with a kick-ass approach - or, in one scene, a boot-in-the-mush attitude. The strong supporting cast give good value and the directing is excellent. It reminded me just how good Soviet cinema could be and how little I know of its modern step-children. The score, interestingly for a contemporary setting, has a distinctly Romantic feel, and this gels with a flashback scene that makes clear just what kind of spirit is causing all the trouble.
Of course, in the end love with conquer all and the goodies must win. But not without cost, and there is even a subtle hint at the very end that the problem has been redefined rather than eliminated. I really can't find a serious major flaw in this one. If you come across it, and are okay with subtitles, I suggest you give it a go. So, that's the totally misnamed The Mermaid: Lake of the Dead, currently on Amazon Prime. Oh, those Russians...
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