Eden Lake

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.

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

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.

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.

This is how you do a "murderous rednecks" horror movie. Uncompromising, no comedy, no screeching girls. Not filled with radioactive, deformed, chainsaw-wielding cannibals that can hardly speak, but with people who at first might seem like your average grumpy neighbours. Unlike the formulaic trite that Hollywood pumps out, this is a horror movie that stays true to the meaning of horror instead of being a.litany of clichés. That of course also means that it's cruel (not cruel like "torture porn", but cruel like reality can sometimes be) and you shouldn't watch it if you have a weak stomach or an important appointment the next day. And whatever you do, don't show this movie to kids, the movie deserves its 18+ rating.

P. S.: I know Hollywood won't take note. Formulaic trite just sells too well.