Eden

I went into this movie blind, it was a Monday Mystery Movie at Regal.

It's a philosophical journey of the human condition and the troubles that we have with each other. As the story unfolds you could definitely find something in it that resonates with the way you see the world. Finding out that this was based on a true story makes me want to read the two perspectives of what happened on the island. Not a bad movie, I think the critics might have been too critical of the movie.

A great story, great cast and performances.

A good movie is a movie that makes you want to watch more, think more, understand more. This is one of those.

The characters are based on real people and real events yet it feels like getting introduced to those events first hands.

Obviously there is quite a lot of over-dramatization but it serves the story well.

Watch advice: Recommended.

"Eden" focuses on a group of mostly German citizens who attempt to settle Floreana, an uninhabited island in the Galapagos after World War I. Their aim for a slice of paradise does not go as planned.

Noah Pink's screenplay for the film is based on a true story (adapted from conflicting accounts written by two of the people who lived it) that almost seems unbelievable at times, except it's not--in fact, most of the details here are historically accurate, down to the individuals' names, characterizations, and, more or less, the series of events that transpired. With that context in mind, it is worth noting that the events depicted here are perhaps not as outlandish as they may seem.

The film is directed by Ron Howard, who is known for his glossy big-budget films, and in that regard, "Eden" does not deviate too far from the director's norm, though the material is notably darker than the kind of fare Howard typically tackles. As often grey and drab is it looks, the film is well-shot and has an epic sort of look about it that audiences have come to expect from him.

Where the film perhaps suffers a bit is in the "movie magic" elements of a production like this, where the nitty gritty realities and sheer difficulty of homesteading on such an island feel glossed over at times. The actors often appear too clean, too rested (which for at least one of them, I suppose, makes senses) and too primped. This is a fine line to balance, as overindulging in the mintutaeua of homesteading and working a tropical landscape like this could become tedious, but a certain amount of it is necessary for the viewer to buy into the circumstances. There is never a significant sense that these people will succumb to the landscape-only to each other-and perhaps that may be the point.

The performances here are largely strong, with Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby playing the intellectual quasi-hippies who were the first to land on this hallowed ground. Daniel Brühl and Sydney Sweeney play a husband-and-wife who arrive and prove to be superior settlers with the the fundamental skills necessary to work the land; while they dedicate their bodies to harnessing the natural resources, the egomaniacal Law pontificates and philosophizes (obsessively quoting Nietzsche and other philosophers) his way through circumstances, with Kirby lending an effective performance as his multiple sclerosis-stricken lover. Ana de Armas gives an outrageous, campy turn as a self-described Baroness who lands on Floreana with grand ideas and a Clara Bow-esque posture, but no real means (intellectual, physical, or otherwise) of achieving any such fantasies. Instead, she utilizes her own sociopathy and manipulation tactics in a diabolical quest for control. I suspect that most of the performances here could be cited by some critics for overacting, but when stacked against the historical record, these depictions of such extreme personalities don't actually seem to be that far from the truth of who these individuals were. Sweeney and Brühl are perhaps the most believable simply because their characters are the most relatable, and their salt-of-the-earth nature prove to be a great asset in this conflict of personalities.

Even for those not familiar with the actual story, there is some predicability here in terms of what will play out, but the funeral procession marches on in a manner that is no less engaging and attention-getting. In some regards, I think audiences will simultaneously expect more and less from this film. It never quite reaches the fever pitch we want, and yet the result remains largely satisfying. As with the performances, I suspect many of the critiques here will hinge on the mere facts of the story. Are these people outrageous? Yes. Does the story at times seem far-fetched? Sure. But as the old adage goes, oftentimes truth is stranger than fiction. 7/10.

An extremely interesting story, based on true events, an accomplished director, a top cast, Hans Zimmer behind the score. A smash hit? At least not at the box office, the budget is not even close to being recouped. In terms of feeling, 'Eden' was not represented in the media at all, apparently these days there is a lack of the muse to be caught up in realistic darkness and human abysses. The only partially resolved 'Galapagos Affair' sheds light on the hopes and utopias of conquering a new land or escaping the old world in order to build an alternative civilisation there, and how human nature buries all dreams again. The supposed heaven turns into a hell of envy, jealousy, selfishness and vanity. Not forgetting the harsh reality of the supposed island paradise. All the supposed and proven events are almost unbelievable, which makes this survival trip all the more fascinating. A real true-crime story. The film adaptation does justice to this, the well-known cast performs excellently and there is little to criticise in terms of craftsmanship. The response does not do justice to the result, so I recommend it.

An uninhabited island in the Galápagos is paradise and hell at the same time for a trio of couples who settled there in 1929. At one of the remotest areas on earth there is a clash of personalities; philosophical, libertine, and practical. While one couple seeks solitude, another wants to build a luxury hotel, and the third desires a nourishing place for family. As bugs and boars bite hard, and food and water become as scarce as doctors, police, and dentists, each couple is in for a shock. Darwin would be pleased, for on the island that gave him his fame it is survival of fittest all over again.

In this true story it is intriguing to see the starkly different personalities battle it out like in a miniature world. Ron Howard who was present at this screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, was captivated by the zany stories of the characters, and the good and bad of each of them. If anything, he said, he had to dial the antics back. It is hard to choose a side. Jude Law and the other actors are capable and convincing. Hans Zimmer orchestrated the playlist. How many soundtracks can one person do? I wish there was a little more depth to the dialogue, but Eden is a pleasure to watch and contemplate.