“Fever Lake” functions as a cabin-in-the-woods movie set in southeast Wisconsin. Six students—three men and three women—from Carthage College in Kenosha take a trip to an abandoned house situated on the secluded side of Fever Lake. A hermit, played by Michael Wise, informs the sheriff (Bo Hopkins) that the spirit of the lake is being unleashed, putting these young people in considerable danger. Filmed during the early autumn of 1995, “Fever Lake” didn’t make it to video until two years later. My description captures what the film is like because it incorporates elements from "Sweet Sixteen," which was made thirteen years prior. I'm referring to Hopkins and a significant Native American character. There are also aspects borrowed from “The Shining,” which becomes apparent early on, along with the ending drawing inspiration from “Psycho.” While this is undoubtedly the weakest of these films because of its uninspired direction and the problematic portrayal of the Native American man, it’s otherwise agreeable in a similar fashion to "Terror at Tenkiller." Despite being rated ‘R’ for mild scenes that are frightening and intense, it feels more like a PG-13 movie at worst. There's no cursing (that I can recall), and the men and women sleep in separate rooms; also, there is absolutely no nudity. They do swim, drink alcohol, and kiss, which is standard fare. Viewers who enjoy Corey Haim and Mario Lopez may find something to like since they portray the male leads. Mathea Webb makes a mark as Christy, with blonde hair and dirt tones; she has a reasonable bikini scene. Lauren Parker is fine in the role of brunette Sarah. Regarding the problematic depiction of the Native American character, it’s possible that his isolated existence on the lake, along with practicing spiritual beliefs and living off the land, explains it. He clearly had limited interaction with the townspeople beyond the sheriff. It's likely he spoke his native language in private (including when thinking), which would account for his stiff English. The movie has a running time of approximately one hour and thirty-three minutes and was filmed at Carthage College in Kenosha and Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, which is twenty-nine miles west of the college. These locations are situated between Milwaukee and Chicago, not far from Illinois’s border. GRADE: C

Source on TMDB