Eden Lake

Horrorphile

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Eden Lake

August 17th 2009 07:00

Well, this was a savagely nasty adventure in the English countryside. Eden Lake (2008) is about as far from paradise as you’ll likely to get. If Last House on the Left (1972), Deliverance (1972), Them (2006) and Funny Games (2007) gang-raped Kidulthood (2006) the bastard offspring might be something like this debut feature from James Watkins, which took out Jury Prize at last year’s Sitges International Horror & Fantasy Film Festival and was voted Best Horror at this year’s UK Empire Awards.

Steve (Michael Fassbender) has a planned a weekend’s camping at the forest site which is soon to be developed into a spread of luxury homes known as Eden Lake. He wants to use the occasion to propose to his girlfriend, Jenny (Kelly Reilly). The location is beautiful, except for the group of obnoxious teenagers at the other end of the lakefront. Steve asks them to turn down their music. Insults are exchanged. Steve and Jenny try and ignore the delinquents who respond in appropriately vindictive behaviour.

Eden Lake Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly

Michael Fassbender as Steve and Kelly Reilly as Jenny

Steve and Jenny’s weekender takes a dramatic turn for the worst when the teenage posse steals their 4WD and goes on a joyride through the woods. After confronting the group and the ensuing struggle leaves the gang Rottweiler dead Steve and Jenny find themselves being hunted down at the order of Brett (Jack O’Connell), the vicious, sociopathic leader.

Eden Lake Jack O'Connell, Finn Atkins, Jumayne Hunter, Thomas Turgoose, James Burrows, Thomas Gill

Brett (Jack O'Connell) and his band of followers

Jenny and Steve’s unforgettable romantic weekend has no longer got any shred of romance left in it, but it has become an unforgettable experience for all concerned. Well, those who live through it that is. Eden Lake is a killer thriller all round.

Steve finds himself in a spot of bother

But there’s nothing new here, we’ve seen this kind of scenario time and time again; the innocents being terrorised/tortured, forced to act brutally in order to survive, and being dehumanised in the process. However, Eden Lake boasts solid acting chops, efficient direction, and not the ending you’re expecting. It is this final disturbing element of realism that gives the movie its memorable edge.

Jenny has to think fast in order to escape the juvenile hunters

Eden Lake is very much the date flick from Hell; very violent, raw and grim and unrelenting. Writer/director Watkins wrote the Big Brother-styled My Little Eye (2002) and more recently was one of the co-scripters on The Descent Part 2 (2009). He’s crafted an unusually hardcore movie in that the perpetrators are a bunch of adolescents … and their parents. It’s a truly frightening concept.

Jenny is trapped like a dirty rat

When Steve and Jenny are first separated Jenny makes a decision not to do something Steve insisted she do. Is this act of panic on Jenny’s behalf what warrants her fate? If Steve had not bothered to confront the teenagers on the lake beach would they have chosen to hassle them anyway? How many other victims have there been?

The eyes of a very very bad boy

The character of Brett might just be one of the most fucked-up evil characters I’ve seen in a while, even if he’s just a jagged chip off the murderous old block. The fact that he’s young certainly adds weight. In a curiously provocative move the director breaks the fourth wall at movie’s end as if to say, “Watch out audience, you could be next …”

Here's the trailer:

Eden Lake preview DVD is courtesy of Madman Entertainment.

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

10 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Natalina

August 17th 2009 07:10

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Bryn, I just saw a trailer for this a few days ago on a movie that I rented and I instantly thought about asking you if you'd seen it or heard of it. Looks really scary. I'll have to check it out!

Comment by Bryn

August 17th 2009 07:20

Horrorphile

Natalina, definitely tense and intense, a very palpable atmosphere, be prepared though, it's pretty brutal in places. Mind you, you got through Martyrs relatively unscathed.

Comment by Natalina

August 23rd 2009 06:07

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Terrifying. I just got done watching this, and my heart is still racing. I feel like someone just kicked my ass. What a brutal, horrifying movie.

Martyrs disturbed me. This movie wrecked me. When it was over I realized I had tears running down my face. My God.

Comment by Bryn

August 23rd 2009 22:44

Horrorphile

Martyrs is more abstract, Eden Lake is far more "realistic" ... How's the ending?! You gotta see Ils (Them).

Comment by Natalina

August 24th 2009 02:47

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Bryn, the end was so intensely brilliant. It's the first movie in a long time that actually had me doing the whole cover my eyes and peek through my fingers thing.

When I watch Lord of the Flies, the scene where Piggy gets killed always gives me the reaction of wanting to be physically sick because it's just so cruel and tragic. I had the exact same reaction at Eden Lake with the boy on fire scene.

Comment by Bryn

August 25th 2009 00:28

Horrorphile

Yes, that is a particularly brutal scene in Eden Lake. That character, the leader, is thoroughly evil. How about when he turns to look into the camera at the very end. Eeek.

Comment by Natalina

August 25th 2009 02:54

My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog

Oh god I know. When he was standing in front of the mirror, I don't know what I expected but I thought maybe as he heard the screaming, he was going to show some sort of remorse...that he'd look uncomfortable or something...then when he put those aviator shades on and looked at the camera....made me gasp!

Comment by JohnDoe

August 28th 2009 17:24

Film & TV on DVD

Hi Bryn,

i had this one mixed up with "Eden Log" a Spanish sci fi horror that just came out....sounds from your review that I may like this one sounds nice and dark.