“Natatorium”

Rampant manipulation, unsettling familial power dynamics, and years of estrangement set the tone for “Natatorium,” writer / director Helena Stefansdottir’s dark, slow-burn psychological thriller. It’s a well made, tense film that manages to remain interesting, even if the easily-solvable mystery and eventual reveal prove to be a bit of a letdown.  

Awaiting the results of her audition for a theater performance group, Lilja (Ilmur María Arnarsdóttir) is staying with her grandparents in the city. It becomes clear that something is amiss in the home, with Lilja’s uncle (Jónas Alfreð Birkisson) bedridden with a mysterious lung illness and her grandmother sneaking off to perform strange religious rituals in the off-limits swimming pool that’s hidden in the basement. Things get more complicated (and dangerous) when Lilja’s father finds out she is staying with her grandparents. Demanding that his daughter get out of the house, he persuades his sister (Stefania Berndsen) to go there and retrieve her from the perceived danger.

Stefansdottir lets her film unfold gradually, slowly revealing the layers of secrecy and tension that permeate the family’s house. There’s an uneasy feeling as Lilja attempts to navigate the land mine of buried truths and agendas that are rotting the family from the core. This is a place where the men are manipulated by the women, and something is very, very wrong here.

What sets the story apart is Stefansdottir’s attention to detail, not only in what is said, but also in what is implied. The film invites viewers to read between the lines, piecing together the fragmented narrative to uncover the disturbing truths lurking beneath the surface.

While the films succeeds in creating a sense of atmospheric dread, it ultimately falls short in providing clear motivations for the actions of some of the characters. I frequently found the obtuse nature of the storytelling to be frustrating, but there’s enough thematically interesting about “Natatorium” to earn it a mild recommendation.

By: Louisa Moore