Written and directed by Michael Houston King is Lake Jesup, which brings back the rip-roaring, ultra-violent and brutal creature feature. This monstrous exploration chronicles the havoc wrecked upon Jesup City, Florida, circa 2003 as a deadly alligator named Bonecrusher escapes from its home at Gator Galaxy, owned by the greedy Angus Sullivan (Jeff Benninghofen), who is content with the missing, colossal reptile as long as he is profiting off of the mayhem. The increasing body count reaches headline news as the people of Jesup City are killed off one by one, leading Mayor Sam Neuhauser (Houston King), along with Jim Fisher (Essex O’Brien), the city’s Fish and Wildlife Commissioner, to bring in the only man skilled enough for the deadly job, ex-convict and ‘gator hunter Bubba Coggins (Derek Russo).

The film’s namesake and inspiration originates from the real Lake Jesup, located in Seminole County, Florida, known as one of the most alligator-infested lakes in the U.S., with the estimated number of species being upwards of 13,000. The terrifying quantity is thanks to the draining of Floridian wetlands in the late 1960s to make room for the tourist infrastructure, resulting in thousands of alligators having to be moved to the shallow backwater swamp of Lake Jesup. As the title card rightly affirms, the term ‘moved’ or ‘rehomed’ is too gentle; in reality, the creatures were “displaced and dumped like trash”. This element of being treated as refuse, disposing of ‘problems’ for the sake of profit and greed is precisely what the film so brutally, effectively and movingly captures. 

Whilst the on-screen gator-mania is a pure rollercoaster of thrills, exciting and ferocious kills and energising sequences of bloodied waters, what Lake Jesup does is unveil a layered subtext to the plot that reveals an emotional story of monopolising tragedy. No nitty gritty spoilers below, but as the film progresses, it is clear that Bonecrusher’s fugitivity exposes the harsh reality of the characters. Subsequently, as Houston King evidently knows, a stellar lineup of performers is essential to flesh out the comprehensive story.

Lake Jesup’s lead and bayou huntsman, Bubba, played by the commendable Russo, is equipped with a brilliantly dark yet incredibly traumatic backstory that provides plenty of ample moments for Russo’s raw talent to shine through as the audience is witness to his portrayal of a man willing to do anything to fight for his and his family’s freedom. Equally praiseworthy is Houston King himself, who plays the Mayor desperate to get reelected for another four. Joining the cast is the seedy Gator Galaxy owner Angus Sullivan, who plays a corrupt business owner like no other. The contextual-heavy plot shines at the hands of its actors, who truly act as the ideal vessel for the delicate and narratively rich film. 

The spirited Lake Jesup is further glazed with an abundance of stellar cinematography. Endless shots of lush green landscapes, bodies of muddied water, images of characters deep in contemplation, and the impressive angles of alligators in their various habitats all radiate on the screen, transporting the viewer from their position right into the depths of Lake Jesup. Not to be overlooked is how the film interprets its thematic palette against the aesthetics within the visuals. The dense swampland that features throughout is quaint on the surface, but underneath the facade of serenity and stillness of the water lies trouble, lying in wait to cause destruction. Similarly, this embodies what Bubba is made to endure, with his liberty being at stake if he does not capture Bonecrusher before it is too late.

This engaging, riveting and arresting independent horror is not simply an unmissable feature, it is a surefire crowd pleaser that starts conversations, prompts powerful reactions and will have you wanting more.

You can catch the film Sunday 29th September at this years festival, tickets here!