Eden Lake Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES PLOT SUMMARY
Nursery teacher Jenny and her boyfriend Steve, escape for a romantic weekend away. Steve, planning to propose, has found an idyllic setting: a remote lake enclosed by woodlands and seemingly deserted. The couple's peace is shattered when a gang of obnoxious kids encircles their campsite. Reveling in provoking the adults, the gang steals the couple's belongings and vandalizes their car leaving them completely stranded. When Steve confronts them, tempers flare and he suffers a shocking and violent attack. Fleeing for help, Jenny is subject to a brutal and relentless game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to evade her young pursuers and find her way out of the woods.
| Shaun Dooley | |
| Michael Fassbender | Steve |
| James Gandhi | Adam |
| Thomas Gill | Ricky |
| Thomas Turgoose | Cooper |
| Bronson Webb | Reece |
| Finn Atkins | Paige |
| Alyssa Cooper | Child in nursery |
| Eliza Elkington | Child in Classroom |
| Kelly Reilly | Jenny |
| James Watkins |
7.00 out of 10 (8451 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Close to home
posted on 26 Aug 2009Some other reviewers have slammed this movie for ripping ideas out of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the Thirteenth. I think they have missed the point.The scariest thing about the movie is not the gore or the suspense. The scariest thing is that it is so believable and is a sad reflection of some aspects of our modern society. Those kids are real. Those parents exist. And they are everywhere. Think of the poor chap who recently got kicked to death by a gang of teenagers outside his own house. Or the young boy near Liverpool who was randomly shot by a teenage hoodie as he walked home. On a few occasions I have even felt threatened by similar kids myself!Another issue the film captures well is the human animal that exists in all of us. Take any perfectly sensible, nice, caring person and put them in a desperate situation - before long their anger will lead to thoughts of revenge and wanting to make the other side suffer.I can't say I enjoyed the film - it is not really intended for enjoyment. But it is an excellent movie and the best horror I have seen in a while.
Suspense, not scary
posted on 24 Aug 2009From what I've heard, this film was supposed to be scary. Well I didn't think so, neither did my friend who recommended the movie, I got it all wrong. However, the film starts of kind of lame, as most scary movies do. Through the whole movie I was waiting for the action to kick in, and in the final scenes, I realized there was nothing of the action I was waiting for. Sure, there is speedy nerve-breaking scenes, but I was waiting for that "Die hard" or "Rambo" action to come, blowing up a small town or at least killing some people with a knife and a shoestring ( sounds more like MacGyver though ;) ).It is a pretty good movie, worth watching, and its short too, so it doesn't take too much time to watch! :D
Promoting Violence
posted on 22 Aug 2009I taught this film was unnecessary to be honest. It offers little in believability & relation to real life, Despite what some people might say on this site (Fantasy Worlds). Everything falls into place very conveniently and kids just DON'T sit in a forest waiting to murder people. I didn't like this film at all, it promotes violence and is quite successful at enticing the younger crowds in as you see by the reviews on this site. Its quite sick to say the least. I can see it influencing unstable teenagers into similar acts. I love a horror but this went OTT.1/10
This is kid's stuff.
posted on 20 Aug 2009If there is anything from the film industry that I'm sick of—more so than PG-13 horror—it's safe, predictable R-rated horror. You know by walking into a PG-13 fair what you're going to get. But when a movie is hyped up to be ultra-brutal, thought provoking, and bears and R-rating . . . well, I except all that. When it doesn't deliver, there are few things that make me angrier. I realize I'm the unpopular opinion here when I say this, but: Eden Lake was kid's stuff. Not only did it lack any overt gore/brutality whatsoever, it lacked anything whatsoever intelligent to say. It pretty much took the script for Straw Dogs (1971) and wholesale copied it without fully understanding it. Eden Lake turns pessimistic into pathetic. It follows the same predictable formula that you've seen so many times it's nearly impossible not to see EVERY plot point at least ten minutes before it happens.First off, let me say that I absolutely love movies that try to kick the viewer in the balls. I love it when a movie is so brutal that it physically exhausts me to view. I love mean-spirited films. Be it 60s movies like The Last House on the Left, or be it modern movies like Saw—I love it all, and everything in between. But why Eden Lake fails to fit into the same bracket is because it really is nothing truly brutal or mean-spirited whatsoever. The level of gore is so low I would have given it a PG-13. The level of mean spirit is so low I felt like I was watching a date-comedy gone wrong. There is next to zero intensity. For the entire first hour—which is over half the film—I was bored out of my mind because the only thing happening was the two leads kissing and acting like a plastic, politically correct couple. And this is supposed to be the unrelenting intensity that grabs me by the throat and never lets go? That's a joke. My point is, the main problem with Eden Lake is it is absolutely inoffensive. It's an easy, politically correct movie. There is no punk edge the movies it copies had. There is nothing even remotely as brutal as the rape scene in Straw Dogs or the ending of the first Saw. Nothing. Just kissing and some shots of the leads running through the woods and screaming.The other main problem is every single character is a stereotype. And no, I'm not just referring to the people in the ending. I'm referring to every single character that had screen time. The two leads act overly dramatic, cliché, starry-eyed lovers with so little realism it became laughable. And here's an over-the-top concept that's about as likely for Hollywood (or the UK equivalent) to do as pile up their money and burn it: Why not have kids actually act like kids? The kids are all annoying stereotypes. They would have had more realism if they were trying to act like dead tree stumps. The lack of realism in the kid's acting actually did make me laugh. The reason Straw Dogs was so successfully with the brutality was because it was possibly one of the most realistic expressions of human emotion on film. It's a concept modern cinema doesn't understand. Doesn't try to understand.Overall, Eden Lake is one cliché after another, with stereotypical characters, yet it tries to make you think with a cliché moral that comes off cheesy, not intelligent. Brutality is next-to-none. Intensity is zero, because you know exactly what is going to happen. Point blank: There is nothing here worthy of your time. I was looking forward to this movie so much because I stupidly had faith that someone could further the brutal genre I love with originality and a moral that actually made me think. Yeah, right . . .2/10
Lean and mean and so much between!
posted on 20 Aug 2009When going for a romantic camping trip in the woods, an expletive sign warning so-called "Yuppie Scum" to stay out would be enough to make any rational person settle elsewhere. Maybe they didn't see it, maybe they didn't care, but when Jenny and Steve (Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender) decide to partake in a little rest and relaxation on a secluded beach, they find themselves being harassed and tormented by a group of kids barely ripe for puberty. What results is a lot of bloodshed, an abundance of shocking imagery and a surprisingly strong love-story.While the movie owes a lot to the likes of "Last House On The Left" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" – more so in form than in function – it still has enough steam going for it to make it feel fresh and intense. The characters – whether you love or hate them – are in turns, realistic and ugly. You'll sympathize with the yuppie couple in love (anchored by strong performances from Reilly and Fassbender) and your gut will wrench at the brutality of the children stalking them. Director James Watkins sets up enough time to build the characters up, to the point where you truly care for them, and will have you on the edge of your seat for the entire second half of the film as they struggle for survival. Despite being Watkins' first film, he gives the film a gritty, realistic feeling that doesn't feel cheap or amateurish, only serving the shocking violence all the better. The writing is tight, all the way to its jaw-dropping conclusion, leaving room for an abundance of subtle social commentary.Slickly paced, intelligent and most importantly – real – it's about as good as horror gets. "Eden Lake" is the rare kind of horror film these days that will grip you tightly and leave you emotionally exhausted. Also, it's the first camping movie in a long time that may have you thinking twice about pitching a tent in the middle of nowhere ever again. If nothing else, it's bound to get a reaction from anyone and carries a few surprises up its sleeve. Even the most jaded of horror fans will be surprised by how much it affects them. Worth a trip, and certainly worth the sweaty palms that will ensue.
"they're only children"
posted on 16 Aug 2009Imagine the kids from Alan Clarke's "Scum", only not in prison where they belong. Throw in a dash of "Deliverance", "Straw Dogs", and perhaps a dash of Larry Clark's "Bully", and that might give you an idea of the perpetrators in "Eden Lake".Steve & Jenny have gone on holiday to Eden Lake, and Steve plans on "popping the question" to Jenny. But the tranquil setting is pretty well ruined by a group of young punks who blast rap music and behave like thugs, which is, what they are, really. Attempts by Steve to get them to turn down their music & keep their dog away serve no purpose, and the kids do finally leave, but they've set up Steve to get a flat as soon as he moves his car. After fixing that, Steve & Jenny go to town for breakfast, only to find that no one seems to think ill of the young punks that are running amok, perhaps because their waitress is one of their parents? Eventually though, while Steve & Jenny are back at the beach, the car keys are taken, the punks take the car for a joyride, and a confrontation over the keys leads to the accidental killing of the kid's dog, after which things begin to spiral even more out of control. Steve and Jenny do manage to get away in the car but end up wrecking it because their headlamps are broken, and Steve is injured so Jenny goes for help, only to become lost & when she manages to find the car again Steve is gone because the kids have taken him and are torturing him.There's then a long cat & mouse game with the kids and Jenny, while she's trying to save Steve, who is badly wounded. Eventually Jenny thinks she's found salvation when she stumbles across a house but she wasn't expecting to encounter one of the kid's parents, who seem to be a good explanation for the kid's behavior.This is one of the better Dimension Extreme films that they've put out. It's fairly believable, it's nasty, and it's disturbing, mainly because of the ages of the kids that are doing all the nastiness. I would recommend this one to horror fans, really. Well worth seeing. 8 out of 10.
Lingers with you for days....
posted on 12 Aug 2009I knew "Eden Lake" would be a divisive film the minute the ending credits started to role. It doesn't take the easy, clichéd, and expected way out, and instead, opts for a more unconventional ending that has succeeded in really pissing some people off. I don't think I have heard some many gripes over the ending of a horror film since "High Tension." Despite how you feel about the ending of the film, it is undoubtedly a brutally realistic, chilling roller coaster ride getting there.The film's plot sounds as clichéd as they come in the horror genre. A loving couple, Jenny and Steve, decide to take a weekend trip to Eden Lake for some rest and relaxation. When the arrive in town, they witness a group of unruly teens who seem to have free reign of the place. Shrugging it off, they decide to go to the lake and relax by the waterfront. It doesn't take long before the group of teens show up with their loud radio and foul mouths to stir up a little trouble. Word are exchanged, the kids leave, and the couple think again shrug it off. However, later they discover that the teens have stolen their vehicle. They track them down, demand it back, and from this point forward, things spiral out of control and the film escalates in a grueling cat and mouse game, with the teens stalking, torturing, and attempting to kill the couple.Some scenes of "Eden Lake" are just sickening to watch. Not because the director piles on loads of gore---the film is actually kinda tame in that department--but because the actions are being committed by a bunch of teenagers. A few in particular seem to be emotionless and have no sense of life or death. It is scary because we here so often about violent act being committed by young people and people claiming that adolescents are being desensitized to violence. How true that is is certainly debatable, but "Eden Lake" gives us a disturbing look at what this concept might look like and certainly it isn't all that far-reaching in its depiction.Everything about this film, with the exception of one key scene, seems utterly realistic. Characters are flawed, and during the most intense torture scene of the film that actually had me looking away in disgust (which trust me...rarely happens!), the filmmaker showed the different reactions of the kids committing the acts. Not all of them wanted to do it...some even knew it was wrong...but they do it anyway because of peer pressure from the leader of the group, Brett (Jack O'Donnell in a powerhouse performance). A girl even stands a casually films the events with a cell phone camera. It is clearly a game for some, yet for a couple of them, they know what they are doing is completely and utterly wrong, but are compelled to play along. As the movie progresses and the violence increases, the viewer is as helpless as Jenny and Steve because their situation seems completely impossible to overcome given the circumstances. Both Kelly Rielly and Michael Fassenbender give completely believable and sympathetic performances as the couple in peril and these are two characters who we quickly form a bond with because they are genuinely nice people who are in complete love with each other.The film is wonderfully shot with some great cinematography. The pacing is quick, and the dialogue crisp and realistic. However, one scene I found unbelievable was when driving shortly after their first confrontation with the kids, Steve notices their bikes outside of a house. He decides to stop, apparently with the intention of confronting the kids and/or their parents. He goes into the house, only to realize that the father probably isn't much better and has to escape. I just didn't think that a character would actually stop at a house to confront a bunch of kids who cussed at him, particularly on vacation. Most would have let it go and moved on.The ending, as mentioned is either love it or hate it. I was indifferent at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I think the ending increases the effectiveness of the film. Not to give anything away, but I think it speaks volumes to the state of parental control, involvement, and lack of discipline and parenting that is prevalent in our society. It's a tough pill to swallow for some--that their attempts to be their child's friend rather than parent--could have dire consequences, but it isn't completely far from the truth."Eden Lake" is tough to watch and makes you think. What causes kids to become so desensitized to violence? Are parents ultimately responsible for their child's actions, particularly if they take the "my child can do no wrong!" attitude. The fact that the viewer is left to imagine just what does happen to Jenny is also pretty disturbing, particularly when the last frame of the film is the main ring-leader's smiling face.FrightMeter Grade: A
Excellent British horror
posted on 06 Aug 2009I thought this was the best British horror movie since The Descent.Although it was another entry into the 'survival horror' sub-genre,this movie had characters who you actually cared about and the idea that these teenagers could be pressured into doing this to the couple seemed realistic and terrifying.A few people on the board here have complained about the ending being to downbeat,as this was a horror movie it was not necessary to sugarcoat anything so i wonder what people actually expected.I did think that near the end of the movie that some ideas were stolen from Wes cravens 'the last house on the left' but overall though I would rate this movie an 8/10.
rubbish, stupid rubbish
posted on 04 Aug 2009There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite. There is no point to this movie, none. violence for the sake of violence, degradation and showing that some chavs behave awfully from parents to kids. wow so trite.
Not as scary as it is disturbing
posted on 25 Jul 2009It's not as scary as it is disturbing. Watching it gives you nothing but a bad taste in your mouth. The thing about that the movie that "scares" people would be children who are not old enough to put in to prison but are old enough to understand that the way they behave have no consequences what so ever for them. It give you very little respect for any justice system and not much hope for humanity. Watching children behave like this and the parents who can't/wont put a stop to it only makes you hope for at breeding license for humans one day, certain people shouldn't be allowed to have children.Sadly though it's just a bad rip-off of the French/Romanian film "Ils", I'd advice people to watch that one instead.
I want my 90 minutes back. (lite spoiler)
posted on 25 Jul 2009I am going to have to be civil about this because if I wrote what I really wanted to I'd have my account deleted. So let's just say the time I spent watching this tragic farce is was a small portion of my life I want back. It doesn't even deserve a review (even if I could use the words I want) but my anger has to be vented somehow. Better a frivolous review than breaking something I own and adding to the loss seeing this film has already inflicted on me. The only reason I kept watching was to see the payback. How presumptuous of me. I figured all this torture would have some kind of resolution. My bad. Perhaps my mind is too accustomed to seeing the beaten protagonist reach a turning point and fight back ... and perhaps even win. But it's not the conclusion of the film that's got me ticked. I can deal with the that. Stuff happens. I get it. But to watch them stumble hopelessly, haplessly, cluelessly, from one predictable trap into another? And then finally trap herself in the bathroom.... WTF? Seriously? That's entertainment? What was the $%#&ing point? Hey, let's watch some people die? Was there some metaphor that I missed? Perhaps the gang of kids symbolize the filmmakers and the brutality of what happens to the doomed couple represents what the film is doing to the audience? But I guess I should take some responsibility. I mean, I kept watching. My bad.
Great Gore.....But Seen It Before
posted on 11 Jul 2009Well My First Review. I Must say i had wanted to see this movie for a while now.Finally a DVD release and man was it not what i thought it would be.Sure it was bloody. Sure it had its moments but i've seen it all b4.Story The Characters Almost Everything. Only Thing that made this any different is the Goons/ Bad Guys in This are what seems to be your typical ''bad'' kid.If your A Horror Buff like myself and If You've Seen Ills(Them) no need to watch this
Very close to real life
posted on 11 Jul 2009I just watched this film at the cinema near where I live. Hows this for irony? There was a bunch of loud teenagers a few rows behind us.After watching the film and getting mildly annoyed with the back row I jokingly said to my girlfriend how long will it before those guys a few rows back cause trouble and probably set fire to some poor little kid?About 20 minutes later that same group of teenagers kicked off and beat up 2 girls. 4 police officers turned up in a car to sort them out.That film is so close to real life its untrue. I've seen a lot of "Horror" and its scary but most of that is just make believe. This film though is close to the bone because it could easily happen anywhere.
Pointless scaremongering
posted on 11 Jul 2009This film is pathetic.The plot centers around a young city couple who venture out for a romantic weekend away at Eden Lake. After leaving the comfy confines of London, and arriving in a quiet country town, it is quickly established that the area is populated by ex-con, benefit scrounging chavs. After which comes the English equivalent of Deliverance, with the lovely couple pursued endlessly by a group of 14 year olds, who casually carry out torture, whilst filming the acts on their camera phones. Unlike "Mum and Dad" which successfully spawned a believable unhinged family, hell-bent on causing as much pain and suffering as possible, "Eden Lake's" chav gang are lazy creations, which stick to the media's stereotype of Broken Britain, and will only add to future prejudice. The happy couple too are a little stuck in stereotype land. The innocent teacher is too scared to run when her boyfriend is being slashed up by the kids, and is naive right up until her sticky end at the rather irritating finale. I cannot stand films like this, "Eden Lake" is more frustrating than thrilling, and all too often I found myself screaming at the stupidity of the characters, and how poorly written they were. This is not a portrayal of Broken Britain, it's more a banner of how pathetic British horror writers can be.
The implausible stupidity of the characters wrecked this film
posted on 11 Jul 2009Eden Lake is well-directed and acted, with some legitimately suspenseful moments and a few moments of cringe-worthy violence. Unfortunately, the main characters - the lead male in particular (we'll call him Steve, I think that was his name) - act in such a moronic way for no reason other than to keep the plot moving along that my suspension of disbelief was already at the breaking point ten minutes in. This pulled me way out of the story and really diminished the extremely effective second act of the film.For example: 1. Steve appears to have some money and social standing, based on his clothes and the car he drives. Why the hell would he take his girlfriend to a disused quarry at a construction site to propose? There's nothing special about the titular Eden Lake. It's just a lake.2. Why would Steve continue to stay at the lake after the kids refuse to turn down their stereo, one of them exposes himself to Steve's girlfriend, and they pop the tire on his jeep? Why would anyone stay there after it's become clear the place is dangerous? 3. Why would he follow these kids to their house and then let himself inside when they don't answer the door? Was he going to tell their parents on them? If so, why did he hide and then climb out the upstairs window when the dad came home? And then go back to the lake? I won't even get into the fact that the kids' pit bull manages to kill itself by leaping right on top of a pocket knife - riiiiiight.I'm sorry, but when 1-3 above happens within the first 15-20 minutes of a picture, I have to come to the conclusion that a) Steve is mentally retarded or b) this is a case of really slopping script writing. Since nothing else about Steve seemed "special" I'm guessing the answer is B.As for the ending ... meh. It was quite a coincidence that the girl ends up at the parents house. Quite a coincidence indeed.Overall it's just a sloppily written exploitation flick with a few tense moments and some extremely stupid people.
Welcome to England
posted on 11 Jul 2009Eden Lake is one of those films that harks back to an age of 70's movies with no light at the end of the tunnel. Films like 'Last House on the left' & 'I spit on your grave' seem to be have been an influence on this modern take of the extremities of living in 21st century England. This film has the capability to shock on so many levels and not just because of the levels of torture and blood.It is one of the few films I have ever seen that truly incites anger and hate in the viewer, not for the film itself, but for what is occurring in the film. If the film had been done as a serial killer or group of adults hunting the young couple in the woods then the film would have just been another average slasher thriller. But the fact that it is children and teenagers' perpetrating these horrific acts makes the film even more terrifying and somewhat powerful.As horror fans we have all seen torture scenes and either laughed or even revelled in the copious amounts of gore that is let loose but it is the realism in Eden Lake that takes you by the jugular and refuses to leave your mind for a few days afterwards. The plot is very believable and although we may not necessarily act in the way that the main male character acts, we all know someone who would act stupidly enough to warrant the attention from the teenagers.Jenny, in a brilliant performance by Kelly Reilly, becomes the hunted after witnessing the horrific torture of her boyfriend and we feel for her character for the dreadful situation she finds herself in making the ending ever more unsettling. The question remains that are some teenagers born inherently violent and sadistic or do they find themselves just caught up in the situation a little too much and it right to punish them for the crimes at such a young age by killing them also? The acting is great, the film is written well and looks brilliant and somehow reminded me of 'The Descent' another great horror film. (SPOILER) Now let's come to the much-debated part: the ending of the film that divides so many people… It is dark, gloomy, shocking, saddening, almost heart breaking and deeply unsettling and it lingers with you for a while afterwards. Maybe Jenny could have done something differently but either way it leaves you with a sense of anger or helplessness that ends the film on a very doom-laden note, don't expect to be smiling.The way it should be viewed is that if a mad woman comes into your house covered in blood and she is accused of murdering the children of the adults in the house, mob culture will prevail. In the parents eyes the kids are angels and Jenny took their lives away no matter what happened to her. Sadly, like the psycho teenager; Brett, this film is a massive reflection of early 21st century society in England.Deeply unsettling & thoroughly provoking throughout this film is a must for horror fans & thriller fans alike just make sure you have a happy film to slip in the DVD player straight after. The ending will be much debated for a long time and my only hope is that someone makes a satisfying but intelligent sequel. 8/10
Like a tyre iron to the head, Eden Lake carries an unforgettable impact.
posted on 05 Jul 2009When the agent provocateur of British exploitation film, Pete Walker, debuted Frightmare - his riveting and truly disturbing combo platter of cannibalistic pensioners and nihilistic delinquents - in 1974, he said he wanted audiences to walk away from screenings feeling angry and frustrated. He achieved that aim, but if James Watkins, the writer and director of Eden Lake had similar ambitions with this chilling slice of gruesome social commentary - and judging by the interviews conducted with the man on the Optimum DVD, it was - then he manages to trump Walker's seminal film several times over, creating a blistering, angry denunciation of yob culture, youth crime and (as another user puts it) "the snarling, violent, uneducated face of modern Britain) that can't fail to elicit a response.Critically acclaimed and devastatingly well made, Eden Lake overcomes the slightly clumsy first act - in which credibility is strained just a touch too far for comfort - to deliver a truly terrifying white-knuckle ride that speaks volumes on the sorry state of 21st century Britain. Remember the Garry Newlove case? To refresh your memory, Newlove was a devoted family man who confronted a group of drunken teenage vandals outside his home and was kicked to death, simply because he'd chosen to stand up for his home, his loved ones and his belongings. Eden Lake offers a provocative and all-too-believable spin on the standard tabloid hoodie horror stories that comes closer to cruel reality than any number of documentaries or sociologist's reports.Jenny and Steve, a young middle-class couple, decide to spend a weekend at an old haunt of Steve's - a flooded quarry in the British midlands. It quickly becomes clear that the place is not what it was. The locals are foul-mouthed, ignorant and unpleasant, and the first day of their holiday is fouled up by a group of truly hateful louts. Things escalate from there - their property, then their transport, gets stolen, and a confrontation with the young hooligans turns nasty. Before you know it, the film has shifted into top gear and stays there for seventy pulverising minutes. Sampling the likes of the Hills Have Eyes, I Spit On Your Grave, Last House on the Left and Deliverance along the way, Watkins pulls the viewer into a stark and bloody vision of unchecked teenage misbehaviour run amok - and it's not just the teens who are rotten in this neck of the woods...Eden Lake overcomes a contrived and sometimes frustrating set-up to shine as one of the best British horror films ever created. For years, the words 'British horror film' were synonymous with wonky sets, dodgy special effects, archaic monsters, lurid overacting and buxom peasant girls in peril. Thanks to Watkins, that poor reputation may be on its way to the history books once and for all. If his next offering is even half as good as Eden Lake, it should be well worth looking forward to.
Fantastique
posted on 05 Jul 2009This gruelling, invigorating, sensational tour de force is an instant classic. It takes most of its cues from the much-revered smash-mouth genre prototypes of the 1970's; its whole-hog relentlessness, its shrewd, methodical plotting; both are pure, vintage Wes Craven, and praise doesn't come much higher than that.It's a thoroughly old-school experience from beginning to end. The much-discussed topicality turns out to be nothing more than simple provocation, and the whole thing is shamelessly, rigorously manipulative, in that brilliant way that horror films used to be. When I wasn't squirming in my seat, I was trying to stop myself from yelling at the screen (a process that I like to refer to as "decision derision") which is the kind of impassioned, joyous impulse that I haven't succumbed to in a cinema in years.But make no mistake, this is ferociously, unflinchingly hardcore. It is frequently nasty in ways that go straight for the gut, and bears no relation to the f*ckwitted idiocy that Hollywood now regularly churns out disguised as something challenging or extreme. If you thought that Hostel was tough, think twice before buying a ticket.Eden Lake may not have the rich subtext or cultural significance of Craven's seminal 1970's output, but it does unmistakably have that same raw cynicism, energy and sense of purpose.This is easily the finest pure horror movie since Switchblade Romance, and is absolutely not to be missed.
Could have been a 10 if...
posted on 03 Jul 2009*********Spoilers***********This movie was great at building tension and hatred for the evil teenagers, especially their leader. I thought this movie was turning in the right direction when she did what she did with the glass shard. Thought that it was gonna be a great revenge movie. Then a terribly unsatisfying turn.It was as if I read about this story in the news and the killers were never caught. That stuff goes on everyday in real life, who needs a movie to do the same old thing? Put in some vigilante revenge, add some imagination and you'd have a 10. Now a 4.Gets you frustrated and leaves you that way. Weak.
vile
posted on 28 Aug 2009Thuddingly opportunistic yuppie-nightmare Brit-horror is unbearably gruelling to endure - but NOT in the way the filmmakers intended. Ludicrous (sometimes even hilarious) as a thriller, it has a crass fear-of-the-underclass subtext that's much more repellent than the (gratuitous) bloodshed on view. Fans of Thomas Turgoose (who gets a misleadingly prominent billing in the opening credits) should go and see 'Somers Town' again instead: he's very much a minor background figure here and has hardly anything to do. Everyone else should also steer well clear. I like harrowing shockers as much as the next gorehound - there's a niftily nasty little British movie at the moment called 'Mum & Dad' that shows how the genre can work - but pretty much everything about 'Eden Lake' stinks to high heaven (I'm tempted to say 'would you Adam and Eve it?') Shame, shame, shame on you, James Watkins.