Eden Lake (2008) User Reviews (606)

Frustratingly cruel, not easy to watch.

[nitzanhavoc · 7/10 · 2 April 2013]

It's been a long time since I've seen this film, during the time when I still didn't bother to rate and review every Horror film I watch. Lately I've been re-watching some of those I liked especially, but as for Eden Like - I'll pass. Not because it isn't good, but because nobody in their right mind would define it as "fun to watch", that much I do remember.

However, what I remember most vividly is my utter sense of frustration, disgust and despair with humanity. Throughout the film I've kept feeling the urge to be there, so I could knock some hard painful sense into those no good hoodlums, and their sad excuse for parents! Very much like this decade's streak of "torture porn", Eden Lake plays on these emotions in the audience. Pity for the victim, rage against the assailants, and despair/helplessness.

Acting and cinematography are good enough, nothing special worth mentioning as far as I can remember (bear in mind it's been a while), but the story and some of the scenes are what sticks with you afterwords. Personally, I can't call the sensations I get out of watching these kinds of films "fun", but they are definitely, in a way, rewarding. Eden Lake isn't easy to watch, and seeing as how this is obviously its goal - it's a success. My relatively low rate is only on account of my personal experience with it.

Unsettling and cruel

[lareval · 7/10 · 28 August 2021]

Disturbing and savage film. Not an easy viewing experience. The ending is frustrating and infuriating.

Breaks you down

[cookie666 · 8/10 · 30 June 2009]

I can't remember the last time a film evoked such raw emotions in me. I'm literally teared up and shaking - from anger, pain, frustration and disbelief. Watching this film is an experience more than words can describe, it plays on pure emotion. You're sucked into the whole atmosphere, to the characters - both the good and the bad -, and it really eats you up and leaves you with this bundle of emotions that catch you off guard and in the end, leave you empty-handed.

I'm sorry for not being very precise about the plot and the characters, but I simply can't write an ordinary "this film opens with..." review, the experience was just too much.

I highly recommend it, but not for the weak-hearted.

Ultimately depressing

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 7 July 2016]

EDEN LAKE is another in the recent wake of 'survival horror' movies yet it's nowhere near as good as something like WILDERNESS. That's because the director is so obsessed with conveying a moral message he messes up the film itself, leaving it a suspense-free outing that provides a timely reminder of the horrors of youth culture but doesn't really work as an engaging horror movie. In terms of the morality and the message it conveys I enjoyed it; taboo topics such as knife crime, racism, peer group pressure, gang culture, the murder of innocents, and class divide are scrutinised and it makes for very interesting, if harrowing, viewing. Take the twist ending, for instance, which is horrifying in itself and almost unwatchable, reducing humans to the level of animals.

In terms of being a horror film or a thriller, it seems pretty redundant. We've had the 'heroine battling brutes in the woods' theme done to death, and better, in the likes of SEVEREANCE and there's nothing new here. Scenes like the foot impalement are just there for the gross-out pain factor and don't further the plot in any way. There are some stand-out moments – the bit with the Pakistani boy outdoes HOSTEL PART II in terms of sheer outrageousness – and Thomas Turgoose's scene is one of the most harrowing ever. But for the most part this is par for the course, with stupid characters acting unbelievably – 300's Michael Fassbender is stuck with the thankless role of idiotic male lead and wanders around a stranger's house at one moment – and some singularly unpleasant bad guys. There's no entertainment to be found here, just grimness and depravity. I love films where the good guys finally turn the tables on their oppressors – as in HOSTEL, one of my favourites – but here director James Watkins focuses instead on his theme of innocents suffering so there isn't any 'revenge' factor to enjoy.

EDEN LAKE is gruelling and unpleasant, but watching it is an oddly detached experience. It just takes place, is over, and you're left wondering why you spent an hour and a half of your life in such depressing company. Depressing is the main description I would use for this one.

STOP requesting predictable horror fairy tales

[moviebuffchick · 7/10 · 16 August 2017]

After reading so many negative reviews I felt I had to write a review. I can't believe how many people are giving this a bad rating simply because it doesn't have a happy ending. It just goes to show that the average person WANTS to be repeatedly fed predictable and formulaic entertainment. And those of us who appreciate this film… it doesn't imply that we like watching people get tortured without consequences. It means we're able to give this film the credit it deserves for taking us through so many raw emotions to the point that at the end I was literally mean mugging the character on the screen. I wanted to personally kill that boy… I was FURIOUS... and I can assure you that the writers, directors, etc. were very deliberate in drawing that reaction out of me… and THAT means they did their job. As reality hit me that this was just a movie… so did the reality that the good guy doesn't always win.

None of this is to say this movie is perfect… and some of the negative reviews pointed out various imperfections… but there are reviews literally titled "This is a mean movie" and their ONLY gripe is that the bad guys got away. Almost EVERY negative review still manages to complain about the ending, the violence, or claim that it glorifies the actions of very disturbed kids. Listen… this movie doesn't glorify what those kids did JUST because they didn't get what they deserved… Somebody wrote "justice should be present in every movie." Are you people serious?!?! Furthermore… nobody is saying "violence is cool" … it's just a different outcome from the horror movie recipe that people are used to… which just PROVES the average person DESIRES predictability and staying on the safe side. Which is dumb because MOST of the time the bad guy kills 99% of the cast before he's killed and only one MAYBE two people get away. But since THESE guys get away with it all of a sudden the movie is promoting sadism and deserves a ONE? REALLY?! This is why there are REAL critics!

Yeah there were clichés, some bad decision making, some painful plot conveniences etc. but there were things that made up for it too. I'd recommend this. I give it an 7/10.

They Did Not Get Away With It!

[Mehki_Girl · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

I was disgusted and disappointed by the ending as anybody else. I was hoping the female character was going to knock off all of those kids especially Brett.

Frustrated, I had to give a little thought to how is this kid going to finally pay his dues?

Everyone knows who the little terrors are in that town, including the local police.

They killed that kid and his momma is going to pursue the case and she won't give up. The parents would have to clean up all the crime scenes, leaving nothing behind and go around and clean up blood off every leaf.

One of the remaining kids will be the weakest link and spill his guts. I don't know about that old phone, but I do know in real life, cops have gained access to newer phones deleted files and messages on them, not to mention tracking all of their phones and how long everyone stayed in one location.

DNA and blood is all over the place, including on his clothing and shoes. The parents of all the dead kids are going to want answers and I don't think they are going to side with the one who they know was the ringleader and who lead their "precious angels" to their own destruction.

The Micheal Fassbander's character seemed to come from money. His family and the fiancee's family will also be pressing the cops for answers. The truck was wrecked. She was bleeding inside. There's a whole lot of forenics that the group of Bozo's will have to clean up and at least one of the adults will realize they'll go down as accessories if they don't fess up and take a deal.

So don't worry, it'll take awhile and even if he does get away with this one, he's going to commit another crime and eventually end up behind bars or worst anyway.

There...I feel better.

This Is England

[Benji-80 · 6/10 · 9 December 2021]

Trust me, I live here. This movie is the complete opposite of the likes of Love Actually, Four Weddings etc., and it is far more representative of the reality here. It's not a perfect film, and it's a grim, difficult watch, but it's extremely well and convincingly acted, and it had me on the edge of my seat. Worth watching, and to those in other parts of the world who might think it's all Royal weddings and tourist attractions here, this might open your eyes to how it really is.

A rare movie that left me shaken.

[mrhistory-71569 · 8/10 · 10 February 2022]

This movie is not for the faint of heart.

Others have called it bleak, brutal, and depressing. And it is. I ignored all that and went in thinking it'd be another British neo-horror flick like The Descent, but boy was I wrong. Now, don't misunderstand me: it is a horror movie but in the most literal meaning of the term. The events in this film are horrific, and it leaves you feeling horrible at the end. To tell you why would require spoilers-and I won't do that-but you might want to spoil it for yourself to save some heartache. Let me just say it doesn't have a happy ending. You can thank me for that warning later.

I get why the rating is relatively low, and I don't begrudge anyone their low scores. It is not a movie for everyone and isn't trying to be. I can't say I liked it or enjoyed watching it, but films so rarely leave me palpably affected. I had no choice but to give it a higher score. I'll probably never watch it again. If you watch it, I recommend having a collection of funny cat videos on standby. But the movie is excellent. Bleak, brutal, and depressing for sure, but excellent.

Very true

[tbahri-380-572824 · 7/10 · 10 December 2021]

This movie is a great representation of English teens that you might encounter almost anywhere around the country. This is a disturbingly true and accurate movie with logical events.

The implausible stupidity of the characters wrecked this film

[mikelepost · 3/10 · 8 May 2009]

Eden 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.

Disturbingly brilliant

[MeganScarn · 8/10 · 8 November 2008]

This film could easily have just been some chavs bullying people, but it is much more then that. I have watched many horror/thriller films and they have rarely effected me the way this film did. From the beginning the mood is set of this extremely happy couple living in their bliss and as most of you will know before watching this the film is not about their happy relationship. The first thirty minutes of the film are more easy going then the rest, but still captivating. As the film continues it shocks you beyond belief, I expected gore but I didn't expect how the tone of the film would make me feel.

If you have an uneasy stomach or sometimes get emotional, prepare yourself for this film. It is gruesome but some scenes are a little too realistic which is what makes the film different. A lot of horror films similar to this lack realism so the audience cannot connect with the protagonist as easily, but Eden Lake has been made with a great deal of empathy for the couple and hate for the young kids. Seeing as there is a strong connection between audience and the characters there is a great deal of emotion involved which is unexpected, but this shows that the film has been made very well and that the actors do their job perfectly.

The young actors who play the chavs are fantastic, and i'm not going to say fantastic 'for their age' because they are truly talented actors regardless of age. Jack O'Connell plays the ring leader of the group Brett, and he really shines. Playing a merciless hateful character is not the easiest thing to do, but if you didn't know better you would think that is how he is in real life because he is just that good. I have been a big fan of Thomas Turgoose since he was in This is England because he is also a very talented and realistic actor and he doesn't disappoint in this film either, but he isn't in it as much as I would like. The other actors in the group are equally as talented. As for the couple they were perfectly cast and they have great chemistry, I have been a fan of Michael Fassbender (who plays boyfriend Steve) for a while but I had never really noticed Kelly Reilly before (who plays girlfriend Jenny) but she plays the character very well and hits the right emotions at the perfect time.

All in all the film draws you in, keeps you captivated, shocks you with the gore and blows you away with emotion. The best thing about it and what makes the movie special and better then most other similar films is just how real it is. You almost feel like this is happening to you, and their reactions are also real human reactions too. The film is truly great and one of the best of its genre, very impressive all around.

Cruel and Disturbing

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 3 July 2009]

Stephen Taylor (Michael Fassbender) invites his girlfriend, the kindergarten teacher Jenny (Kelly Reilly), to spend the weekend in Eden Lake, a paradisiacal and remote place in the woods where he used to go in his childhood and that will be flooded sooner; however, his true intention is to propose Jenny. While camping at the lakeshore, they are disturbed by a gang of loathsome boys leaded by the punk Brett (Jack O'Connell). On the next day, the couple realizes that they have been robbed by the young criminals and they are stranded in the woods without their car. While walking through the forest trying to reach the road, Steve and Jenny meet the gang and they are brutally attacked. Steve is captured by the youths while Jenny is seeks a way out of the woods with the criminals chasing her.

The cruel and disturbing "Eden Lake" is impressively real, reason why I felt very uncomfortable with the wicked and sadistic story. The acting is top-notch, and the violence of the gang contrasts with the beauty of Kelly Reilly and the romantic situation that her sweet character with her boyfriend. The situations lightly recall "Deliverance" and "Red", but they are so brutal that it is impossible not feeling affected by the horror that Jenny and Steve are submitted. The pessimist conclusion is exaggerated and probably the only flaw in the story especially after the death of the great number of characters. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sem Saída" ("No Way Out")

Brutally, horrifying, terrifyingly (illogical and over the top implausible)

[PrimeME · 5/10 · 24 April 2009]

Yes, it was brutal. Yes, there was horror and terror.

But hell, was it illogical and over the top implausible! I know one should not relate a horror movie too much to the real world, and I would not have done so, if only the scriptwriter wasn't so anxiously trying to make me think this could really happen to anybody, anywhere in the UK. Of course, there is shitty youth in every town on earth, but to walk into the national champion of psychopathy under the age of 16 at the edge of a lake in the middle of nowhere is a little too much for me. That besides the fact that these people keep immobilizing themselves and keep on coming back to the same spot where they have been molested, in these (what appears to be) massive woods, over and over again.

Then, when the girl crawls out of the dumpster looking like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill II, and I just started to think that this might become interesting, she only escapes to drive into... What did I say about too much implausible?

After watching this movie I was angry too, like everyone else who watched it. Because of the ending (yes you will blame the youth of the world after this) but also, after two seconds, because it is an all too easily instigated sentiment.

Pointless torture/death wallow (necessary spoiler inside)

[gunnisonbeach1983 · 12 September 2011]

This is a long, sadistic, pointless excursion through two nice people who are slowly hunted down and slaughtered like pigs. Telling you this up front is NOT a spoiler. It's an attempt to save other people from wasting there time on this horrible piece of garbage.

The film is very typical of the kind of stuff put out by Eli Roth and others, but it is totally artless in its execution. If I had to describe its closest match, I'd say "The Others". Except this one exceeds it by far in terms of pointless sadism.

I really feel sorry for Michael Fassbender. I guess he couldn't be choosy about his roles back then, but this is ridiculous.

The true horrors of the UK: teenagers.

[becky-92346 · 7/10 · 12 March 2023]

Eden Lake (2008) follows a couple who's romantic getaway is ruined by a gang of blood-thirsty youths. This movie is a very tense and horrifying thriller with some good acting. It is highly engaging although it follows a fairly basic structure and feels a bit safe at times.

The film really doesn't have many notable shots and the cinematography is quite lacklustre. There's no outstanding colour schemes and the camerawork is basic too. The lighting is ok, however it could've been improved as there are some scenes where I couldn't see what was happening.

The sound design is quite good, it's very subtle and manages to be fairly effective. The score itself really adds to the tension and builds up a thrilling atmosphere.

The film introduces us to our two lead characters well, they don't have much on-screen chemistry but this isn't a major issue. I cannot praise all the young actors who played the villains enough, they are genuinely horrifying and I despised their characters, this shows how brilliantly they did in their roles!

This movie is surprisingly disturbing, and packed full of very hard to watch scenes. I think the main thing that makes Eden Lake (2008) so terrifying is that it feels brutally realistic, and things like this genuinely do happen in the UK often!

Lastly, the film is consistently engaging and gripping to watch, building up the tension perfectly to a harrowing and shocking climax. It's fast paced and has a pretty basic structure, but pulls it off well.

Good but not brilliant by any stretch

[ticcer · 6/10 · 18 March 2009]

I watched this film last night after being driven by the favourable reviews on IMDb; statements like "As the film continues it shocks you beyond belief", "gruesome but some scenes are a little too realistic", and "this was one hell of a ride!" While the film does go some way to partially live up to those claims, as a seasoned horror watcher, I found it to be around the medium as far as horror films go... more suspense than horror. Maybe it's just me being a tad desensitised where these things are concerned. It's certainly not a thrill ride, however, the film does move at a nice consistent pace once you get passed the first 30 mins.

For me the film is let down by the main male character during those first 30 mins, as he gets himself into situations that only a truly self centered arrogant person ever would... as if the film makers needed some suspenseful moments to fill that time out with and created some silly situations to do so. I found myself thinking, "No way, who in their right mind would do that?" But once you get passed all that, the film is very entertaining, with Kelly Reilly from Dead Bodies, et al, putting in very believable performance. The film did leave me with a sense of longing insomuch as it would have been much more satisfying if the main protagonists' revenge was a little more emotionally engaging than the seemingly flippant portrayal it was.

If you saw and liked Funny Games, starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, then Eden Lake is very well worth the watch.

Disturbing and brutal

[mrguugelballer · 9/10 · 4 November 2008]

Oh my, this was one hell of a ride! It has everything I yearn from a horror movie. It's dark, bloody, depressing, somewhat realistic and oh, the ending, the ending. This is the second best British horror movie I have seen. The best was Dog Soldiers. The young actors do a good job depicting the variety of feelings from anger to horror to despair and the two lead actors are brilliant. It is a knee deep in doom all the way to the end. A few minor logic problems but you'll get over it, they don't ruin the mood at all.

I have to praise the script because it works in the boundaries of the real world and does not go over the top in any scene, and I know some may disagree in this but I think you'll like it never the less.

All in all, it is good and it is for you if you truly like horror. But it is also a disturbing and brutal movie so not for the faint of heart. Enjoy.

Well made and performed, but pointless

[bsmar-1 · 6/10 · 11 June 2021]

This Wolf Creek meets Deliverance style horror film with teenagers instead of hillbillies is very well made and acted, almost unendurably tense, and too well told to turn away from - you want it to go somewhere that makes it worth the attention it earns from you. But in playing for realism, it is ultimately confused by aligning itself with slasher movie conventions then concluding with an ending that is abjectly sick, misguided and ultimately pointless. Brimming with hate, it is too real to be a horror movie and too heartless to be a meaningful drama. All it manages to leave you with is, "Why?" Why make this? And what possible point is it supposed to be making?

Crackingly realistic UK 'chav' horror

[juboy70 · 8/10 · 14 September 2008]

From start to finish this film is a masterclass in confronting our views on revenge and on how we choose which 'side' to be on in any given situation.

The two adult leads are almost immediately plunged into a nightmare where children have the upper hand and where respect for adults is thrown out of the window yet the adults still view the amoral, feral youth as children (at least initially).

Eden Lake plays as virtually a documentary of Britain in 2008 and as a film gives us a stark reflection of what is happening in this country today. The only difference being that Eden Lake takes place in the countryside while the real violence in the UK takes place on our city streets.

James Watkins has managed to create real tension, real suspense and some real terror in his directorial debut. So many UK horror films come with great expectations and so many fail, but with Eden Lake, Watkins has crafted a contemporary film that is instilled with the nastiness and vicious spirit of 70s/early 80s horror such as 'Last House on the Left'.

Disturbing, challenging, thought provoking and downright electrifying in places, this is one of the best horror films of the past few years and one of the best British films this decade.

Shows the reality of minor criminals/gangs that have no boundaries, but are still protected because they are "just kids"

[Mivas_Greece · 7/10 · 25 April 2021]

Thriller movie. A couple goes on a trip to a lake outside a small town, only not knowing that there is a well-known gang of minors in the area, whose leader has no moral barriers at all and is pushing everyone else to follow him or they will suffer the consequences. The character of the leader has also been created by the similar family environment. The whole town knows about this gang and its actions, but it's doing nothing. Because they're "just kids". "Just kids" who have no boundaries and make no difference to adult criminals. Unfortunately there are plenty of similar cases in the real world. Is there any justice for such criminals or they should be protected because they are "just kids"... A difficult survival film with very good acting, but it also shows a social problem, the juvenile criminals that will probably anger many people that watch this film.

Dreadful from start to finish

[sarah-brown-4 · 1/10 · 5 February 2009]

I seriously can't believe some of the comments about this film. It was truly awful and predictable with huge holes in the plot, no character development and unrealistic scenes throughout.

There is no development of characters at all with the most predictable part of the whole thing coming at the end. The father turning out to be violent and obviously the catalyst behind the main hoodies behaviour was predictable, boring and quite obvious. The bullied becomes the bully...how very original. Anybody who thinks this was clever or an interesting take on society is just insane!

There is nothing clever in this film, no deep insights into our fears or into society today. We all know there is knife crime, we all know that some kids are violent and have suffered child abuse, bullying and gang mentality and yes, this is terrible. However, this film does nothing to delve into the causes, the solution or any aspect of this. It is just a poor excuse for using what is a hot topic to portray violence, gore and a totally depressing story which was told very badly. I think the thing that annoyed me most about this film is the predictable reaction of people saying what an amazing insight it is into our fears. Seriously? You can read the Daily Mail and get better insights into society.

*spoilers* One of the most obvious problems of the film is unrealistic reactions of most of the characters in the film. The part where the boyfriend goes into the house to confront the kids was just awful, under no circumstance would that happen in any real life situation. This happened right the way throughout the film too, the girlfriend waiting overnight rather than going to get help after the boyfriend was trapped in the car? The couple returning to the same scene the day after their first altercation with the gang? The car that came just 'happened' to be driven by a relative of one of the gang? The first house that the girlfriend arrived at after her escape was filled with the parents of the gang? Come off it!

The chase scenes weren't so much intense as predictable and unrealistic. Somehow in a huge forest the kids could hear everything and were only ever just around the corner?

Overall this was a terrible film with no redeeming qualities. Disturbing yes but mainly due to the predictable reactions of people saying how insightful this film was.

One of the saddest and scariest movies ever made

[thejudgeisonvinyl · 10/10 · 9 November 2008]

Very few movies will leave you feeling such anger and sadness after they end.

Even though "Eden Lake" doesn't have a truly original plot it manages to look fresh and non-predictable. The acting is truly superb with the standout performance by Kelly Reilly as Jenny.

The movie has some gore which is used brilliantly without making Eden Lake look like some cheap exploitation movie. Everything that happens in "Eden Lake" is believable and this, powered by great use of suspense, is what makes this movie so scary. There are barely any clichés or errors present. If you liked movies such as "I Spit On Your Grave" or "The Last House on the Left" you will love "Eden Lake".

I can't recommend Eden Lake strongly enough.

Grisly and upsetting - fantastic modern horror!

[The_Void · 6/10 · 2 March 2009]

I don't think I'm the only one that has been less than impressed with the bulk of the horror films released in 2008; most of what's on offer could be categorised as either a useless Hostel/Saw clone or yet another remake, and it's disappointing considering the excellent releases earlier in the decade. Eden Lake may not score highly in the originality stakes, but the fact that it's so well done more than makes up for the fact that any serious genre fan is likely to have seen films just like this one before. The plot focuses on a young loved up couple; a primary school teacher and her boyfriend Steve. They decide to go to an old disused quarry for a romantic weekend, but find their idyllic peace disrupted when a group of young thugs begin harassing them. Naturally, the couple won't allow their weekend to be spoiled by a bunch of kids, but as the situation escalates; the couple begin to realise that the youngsters are rather more dangerous than first thought, and their trip soon turns into a nightmare.

Eden Lake would be best described as 'survival horror' and works mainly due to the realism. The two characters at the centre of the film are both likable and their actions are always understandable, which makes them easy enough to get on with. When the trouble first starts, it doesn't seem like anything too far out of the ordinary; and the director does a good job of building up to the first problem, before letting things escalate at a steady and exciting pace. One of the things I liked most about the film is the setting. The disused quarry and woods where everything happens is really beautiful and this brilliantly offsets the grisly violence. The violence takes a while to kick in, but that makes it all the more shocking when it does. There's nothing over the top in this film; everything is kept at a reasonable level, but the fact that the director has made us care about the characters and their fates makes the film hard to watch at times. The antagonists are a group of kids and while they at first seem like only a small threat; they do become pretty formidable as the film moves on. Overall, this is a fantastic horror movie that fans of the genre won't want to miss, and it also stands tall as one of the best British films in years! Highly recommended.

Was it really horror? Or a warning?

[Little_Tyke · 3/10 · 17 May 2023]

The story was shocking for a reason. It wanted to wake up Britain. It wanted to shock Britain into realising that this kind of spiteful, vicious behaviour is becoming the norm in many communities, especially in England. A certain class of young men and women have no role models nowadays. They have a huge inferiority complex. To compensate, they watch violent porn on their smartphones, they disrespect everyone in authority. They have absolute hatred for the "them" in "them and us". That is, anyone who is perceived to be "other", an upstanding member of society, who is obviously well-off, driving an expensive car, even designer shades is fair game for their games. Their games start off low-key, but when confronted, become much more dangerous for the victims. If the victims are stupid enough to accost these gangs, it's not the gangs who will come off worst, but the victims, as in this movie. The couple here are stupid in the extreme. If they had moved away from the lake immediately the dog did its business, and certainly after the main yob exposed himself, both victims would have lived. Maybe lived to complain to the police. They could have climbed into their car and driven 30 miles away to a different beauty spot. But these two were facing impossible odds by staying put, so my sympathy for their plight started waning pretty soon into the movie. Neither the man nor the woman could do anything right. Not an ounce of common sense between them. Take the woman, for example, as she suddenly saw the young Asian lad she'd seen earlier. The instant he started explaining how his mum was working shifts, but then said she was coming to pick him up, she might have wondered, why, when he's got a bike? And the next minute he's on his mobile phone, looking shifty, yet she doesn't suspect anything. The violence they were subjected to was over the top purely to exaggerate the desperate state of the nation in 2008, and now it's 2023 and the nation has got a lot worse. Chav behaviour is everywhere to see. Stabbings are becoming common now. Police numbers are dwindling. Ordinary people are left alone without any help at all. If some way of punishing the culprits is not found, they won't be torturing victims in the quietness of a forest, but in villages and towns. It has already happened to some extent. These bullies need to be culled, though you only need to oust the ringleaders. They are the dangerous ones. We saw in the movie how most of the other boys realised just how bad it all was getting, yet the ringleader had total control over them. A warning for the nation, a warning to the government.

Intense Thriller

[Michael_Elliott · 12 February 2012]

Eden Lake (2008)

*** (out of 4)

Brutal and intense thriller has a man (Michael Fassbender) taking his girlfriend (Kelly Reilly) to Eden Lake for a weekend getaway but their peaceful time turns to terror when they encounter a group of young kids who decide to stalk and try to kill them. EDEN LAKE comes from writer-director James Watkins and there's no question that the story is far from original but I say you can repeat a story as many times as you want as long as there's someone talented to make everything work. Watkins certainly makes for a very intense movie and I think what he does best is make you feel as if you're watching real people in a real situation. What makes the film so creepy is the fact that you really do feel as if you're watching this stuff happen to real person and the violence is just so strange and needless that it packs even more of a punch. The film is certainly in the same genre as THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, DELIVERANCE and STRAW DOGS but what this film also goes for the recent wave of "torture" movies. The violence here doesn't happen often but when it does its done in such a graphic way that you can't help but feel it. Each time a blade hits one of our leads it really does feel as if you're also getting slashed. The director's screenplay makes the right choice is letting us get to know the leads so that way we can feel for them and it really makes us want to see them get out of this mess. Both Reilly and Fassbender are very believable in their parts as are the actors playing the thugs. Reilly really makes for a very strong lead even when the screenplay falls short and leaves her with a few dumb decisions. As intense as the movie is I must say that I felt cheated by the ending. I'm not going to give anything away but the big twist is just horrible and it's not a bit believable. I'd also argue that the kid's lack of a motive was another thing that bothered me. I can believe one or two sickos but I think it goes a bit over-the-top and more of a reason would have helped things. With that said, EDEN LAKE certainly delivers and while it's not going to be for everyone if you do enjoy this type of thing then it's a must see.