It looks like Max has got the perfect sleeper hit for the spooky season in “Caddo Lake” The moody Max-exclusive mystery thriller may have missed out on a theatrical release, but it's certainly garnered praise from viewers, and it's #1 on Max's top 10 movies list, beating out the streamer's new “Salem's Lot” adaptation

The film is the brainchild of Celine Held and Logan George The pair previously worked with “Caddo Lake” producer M Night Shyamalan (“Trap”) on the Apple TV Plus drama “Servant” Fascinated by the real-world location, the two created a family drama that takes place in this impressive setting

Max was quick to display Shyamalan's name in the marketing materials for his new thriller, and frankly, I can see why they would want to do so Shyamalan is known for twist after twist, and while the story in Caddo Lake is absorbing, it's hard to keep your head on a swivel Tempting Here's a little more about “Caddo Lake,” including what critics have to say about it

I'd like to leave as much mystery in “Caddo Lake” as possible, but here's a very brief introduction to the setting

The actual Caddo Lake is on the border of Texas and Louisiana, and the story revolves primarily around a couple of characters who live in the area Paris (Dylan O'Brien) is a young man struggling with survivor's guilt after a car accident at the lake takes his mother's life; Ellie (Eliza Scanlen) is a teenager at odds with her mother (Lauren Ambrose), but at least her eight-year-old stepsister Anna (Caroline Falk ), with whom she is bound by friendship

After one family fight, Ellie heads out to the lake in a boat Ellie chases after her, but then disappears, and this disappearance brings their lives together This disappearance begins to tie the lives of the two protagonists together

If you are looking for an engrossing and complex mystery and are willing to wait for its conclusion, you should give “Caddo Lake” a try, as many Max subscribers have already done

Critically, “Caddo Lake” is doing quite well As of this writing, it holds an 81% score from a total of 27 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating solid (though not universal) praise Here is a brief rundown of the critics' comments

Brian Talerico, a contributor to RogerEbertcom, gave “Caddo Lake” 3/4 stars He wrote, “While some may be panicked by the big twist in ‘Caddo Lake,’ which I can't even write about at the network's request, it was refreshing to see a film that feels like a traditional streaming thriller, but turns out to be something completely different”

Meanwhile, Forbes' Paul Tassi says: “‘Caddo Lake’ came out of nowhere and made my list of best movies of 2024: 'The most enjoyable thing about ‘Caddo Lake’ is that for half the movie, you don't even know what the hell is going on, what kind of movie this actually is I don't know

And finally, Pete Hammond, in his review for Deadline magazine, wrote: “Perhaps the real mystery here is why it took three years for this film, which is on par with many of Shyamalan's namesake films, to appear before an audience (Directors and screenwriters Celine Held and Logan George) have taken a funny family tale and made it work well for those who are sensitive to these kinds of twists and are willing to invest their time for the ultimate emotional conclusion"[21

And even for those who are not usually swayed by critical opinion, “Caddo Lake” has over 250 viewer ratings on the site and currently holds an 82% score on the popcorn meter The positive response genuinely highlights how many twists and turns the story takes and how engaging it is (on both an intellectual and emotional level)

I haven't seen “Cuddly Lake” yet, but would like more Max's streaming recommendations Check out our roundup of Max's best movies and Max's best shows to find your next streaming fix