SPOILER WARNING: The following article goes deep into specific details from Caddo Lake. If you have not used your Max subscription to watch the film, proceed with caution as you read on.
Assuming you read the spoiler warning above and you are continuing to read this because you have seen the film, I will start by saying this: Caddo Lake is the best time travel movie I have seen in a long time. I believe that writing and directing duo Logan George and Celine Held, with help from producer M. Night Shyamalan, have crafted a sci-fi thriller that is extremely satisfying from both a logical and emotional point of view.
The new 2024 movie is especially moving when Ellie (Old cast member Eliza Scalen) discovers that the disappearances of both her father, Paris (Dylan O’Brien, who has been on fire in 2024 with this and his performance as Dan Aykroyd in Saturday Night), and 8-year-old step-sister, Anna (Caroline Fink), are linked to the mysterious time displacement rift that occurs when the lake’s water levels drop. However, I cannot help but feel that Caddo Lake could have been all the more satisfying with just one little addition.
I Wish Ellie Could Have Met Paris
The reveal in Caddo Lake that Anna, who was accidentally transported to 1952 when she went missing, is the mother of Paris, and that he is Ellie’s father is a deeply touching moment, as she had longed for some connection with her father, who went missing before she was born. One way the story could have deepened that connection is by seeing Ellie and Paris cross paths at some point.
Our protagonists pass through the time rift multiple times. During these adventures, Paris gets to meet (and save the life of) the the mother he had been grieving (though she's a child). Ellie, during a trip to 2005, meets her mother’s younger self (credited as Cee and played by Diana Hopper) and her own younger self, too. However, not once, during any of those dizzying time jumps did she get the opportunity to finally meet her father.
I suppose I can understand why they are kept separate for the sake of the narrative, considering their respective journeys each have different goals. Yet, I can see a version of Caddo Lake that would end the same way without screwing up the delicately forged timeline (which was important to preserve, as Held and George told The Direct) that sees Ellie and Paris share the screen if not for one moment. I feel that is something not only she deserved but the audience did, too.
At Least Celeste And Daniel Got Some Closure
While Ellie never met Paris, I was happy to see Celeste (Cee’s older self, played by Lauren Ambrose) have some moment of catharsis at the end when she learns, through her daughter’s research, that Paris never meant to abandon her. Furthermore, she discovers that this “other woman” she assumed Paris left her for was her own daughter out of time.
Hell, Celeste even gets the chance to see Paris in 2022 one last time before his tragic demise when he escapes the hospital by stealing her and Daniel’s (Eric Lange) car. Clearly, this was not the most pleasant interaction but at least she got some form of a reunion with him while Ellie was never given such a chance.
Also, through Ellie’s knowledge of the woman Anna would become, Daniel is given some assurance that his daughter is safe. Never do the parents of children who go missing without being found get to receive peace of mind such as this, which is why I believe it is one of the most beautiful things about Caddo Lake.
Though he didn't direct the movie, if we're including films that he produces, I think we can say that Caddo Lake is one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies yet. If not, I think it should, at least, be recognized as one of the best sci-fi movies of the year and, hopefully, it gets the attention I believe it deserves.
