‘Lake Michigan Monster’ Movie Is An Award-Winning, So-Bad-It’s-Good Movie Masterpiece

I love a good monster movie, and I'm a sucker for movies that are "so bad, they're good." So imagine how happy I was, when I found this 2018 gem of a movie on Prime the other day.

"Banned in Four Lakes," this is the movie "Lake Michigan Monster."

Get our free mobile app

The synopsis for this one is simple...

"An eccentric ship captain and a crew of specialists plot revenge against the most mysterious creature of the deep... the Lake Michigan Monster."

Essentially, it's Moby Dick, but with a creature in Lake Michigan... but a WHOLE lot more fun.

The film was made in 2018 by Director Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, whom you might know from classic films like "Hundreds of Beavers" and "L.I.P.S." (Probably not, actually).

Tews is a man in the industry that clearly doesn't take himself seriously, which seems to make for incredible off-beat films. Even he said this movie is absurd.

"In its purest form, Lake Michigan Monster is a comedy. One, because it has some funny moments. And two, because its very existence is laughable."

The Black and White film is truly ridiculous. It's got over-the-top acting, eccentric stereotypical characters, and all put together in a format that reminds people of both classic adventure cinema, and the utter chaos that is the internet.

Bottom line - it's good. REALLY good, and lots of fun. Certified 85% Fresh by Rotten Tomatoes, it's won 9 awards and earned 19 nominations across multiple film festivals.

Seriously, this movie is a trip. As one reviewer put it...

"If Spongebob creator Stephen Hillenburg TOOK ALL THE DRUGS, and decided to create a Halloween Episode!" - Film Threat

Accurate.

So, what would inspire a man to write such an absurd, horror-comedy film?

"I was sitting on Wine Rock, along the shores of Lake Michigan, listening to pirate metal with Erick West (Sean Shaughnessy in the film). It was raining and we were smoking Djarum Black Clove Cigarettes and drinking $3 sweet red wine. I turned to my companion and said, 'What if a mermaid washed up on shore and we were the only ones to see it?'"

I don't know how to tell you, in coherent English, how accurate that assessment is, but also... not even close.

You'll just have to watch it for yourself. You can buy or rent it on AppleTV, or if you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can stream it there.

Seriously, an adventure that MUST be seen... possibly high.