Eden Lake (V)
| release date | January 6 2009 |
| studio | Third Rail Releasing |
| director | James Watkins |
| writer | James Watkins |
| starring | Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Thomas Turgoose, Bronson Webb, Finn Atkins, James Gandhi |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
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i was one of the lucky ones who got to see this in theatres. i dont know why it got such a limited release this halloween.. anyways..
this was one of the most grueling movies i’ve seen in years.. possibly the most violent movie ever with the fact that it wasnt THAT bloody or gorey at all.. i thought everything about this movie was brilliant.. to the direction, acting, music…..(read more) such a simple movie loaded to the brim with suspense.. i gotta tell you, i was so angry by the end of this movie.. every kid i looked at right now makes me angry.. movie actually makes me value how good i was raised as a child.. this movie is fucking ruthless and grim.. a horror thriller filled with some nasty drama at the finale. PERFECT! 10/10
Wow, just watched this and I agree with uhakid’s review. This movie is so horribly intense and upsetting…I didn’t enjoy it at all. Clearly, well done.
Very good flick. Held an intense sense of dread. The kids in this film did a great job battling within themselves. I highly recommend seeing Eden Lake. You will not be disappointed.
Eden Lake is a very good horror thriller. It builds oon suspense unlike other R rated horror movies. This movie is very emotionally intense. THe film is extremely depressing. The end of the movie is extremely unsettleing and haunting but very realistic. Eden Lake is one of the best horror movies of the year.
i wonder why none of the reviewers of bloody disgusting bother of watching this film instead of some crappy direct to dvd movies because this is one of the most gruesome,inteligent and depressing flicks i have ever seen trust me youll be leave with a goosebump on your back when it ends.
I love this movie so brutal
and gives no apologies
they have to make a sequel
i need to see those little shites
die! This is definitely going into
my collection–one of the best horror
movies i’ve seen in years.
Very good. Even before anything happened, the movie was just entertaining. The couple has very real chemistry, and it’s heartbreaking when terrible things start to happen to them. Again, very good, although I felt the ending didn’t really do justice to the rest of the movie.
I really like this movie, but I did hate the ending.. Badly..
Pretty good movie, definately worth a rent. It is similar to funny games.
awsome
Unrelentingly cruel and mean-spirited, upsetting and brutal. The only other movie I can think of that nearly matches Inside for depiction of atrocious violence and suffering. This is not a fun or enjoyable movie, but the fact that it can thoroughly sicken and move its viewers to a particular state of inner silence makes it an important piece of filmmaking.
OK. Not that great. Nice and disgusting though with some good gory scenes and non-formula ending. Felt a bit like “High Tension”.
this is one of the best horrors ive seen and it makes it better because its english (me being english myself) its a rareity to find an english horror. This isn’t just a horror story, after you watch it, it makes you think and it seems so realistic. Americans probably dont have chavs so they won’t understand this. The acting is superb even the kids are amazing! I am now scared of chavs for life. The ending was fine there was nothing wrong with it but it is very disturbing.
I was pleasantly surprised by this movie.
I didnt know that they were still allowed to make good films in England!!
This was as good as it gets. Some of the dialogue was a little hard to understand but Eden Lake is definitely worth watching. A different ending would have made it a 10 skull movie. One more for the English.
“Eden Lake” in one of the most disturbing, bleak movies I have ever seen.
The story is sort of cliché, but so powerful that you just suffer with Jenny in her nightmare.
Really, really worth watching.
Thought-provoking and emotionally-garnering with unbearable gruesome brutality. Serves to remind the public that provoking and trying to be bossy to a group of local teens as a tourist isn’t exactly the best thing to do in this day and age of violent youths. Not quite original, but this flick gripped me sucessfully after 30 minutes in which it took to build carefully. The end result was sort of inconclusive until however a sequel will exist.
Man, what a ride. Genuinely mean spirited, cruel, unsettling and just about any other word that can be translated to “fucked up”. Wonderfully shot, a hero and heroine that ARE ACTUALLY LIKABLE (that in of itself is a twist frankly) and their opposition being a tremendous group of shits. One of the best horror films I’ve seen in ages. Also, the film is incredibly violent without just dumping fake blood everywhere, the tone and the acts are more awful than any amount of heads exploding could ever be. Great acting job on everyone, great pacing, and an intelligent set of circumstances. I can’t say enough about this one.
I would rather drink a jar of horse seamen than watch this movie again!!!
quite possibly one of the most unsettling films i have watched in a long time. i was engaged the whole way through and not once did the tension stop. this movie is not a good one to watch when ur having a good day. it is a little cliche in some aspects but what it does it does right. Eden Lake is a thrill ride that doesnt let go. and the ending is just plain disturbing. great film worth a watch.
If 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 . . .
While some scenes bordered on extraneous “torture porn” IMO, the movie is a great take on the old “tourists in the wrong place at the wrong time” story. It was scary, and brutal enough, but most of all – disturbing. The kind of movie that sticks with you for a while and the more you think about the ending the better the movie becomes. I just watched “Inside” last week and I got the same sick feeling in my gut after watching this one.
The only real gripe I have is with the incredibly stupid decisions our main characters make. I was constantly asking myself “what would I do here?” and they always did the opposite (doh!). Early in the film the couple visits the lake briefly and then returns to town, and what they do next is probably the dumbest decision I’ve ever seen in a horror movie. It got so ridiculous for a minute I was expecting a cameo by Will Ferrell. See it and you’ll know what I mean.
This one is definitely worth a rent if you liked “Wolf Creek” or “The Ruins”.
Just saw this movie last night, Let me tell you that I was expecting to fast forward through most of it. Most times when I see Dimension Extreme on the cover of some movie I’m always a bit of a skeptic. I expected torture porn and no attachment to any character because that seems to be the formula in hollywood now. Lets shock viewers and forget about story, substance…you know, all the stuff that requires making a film?!?! Eden Lake did the exact opposite, I was glued to the screen from minute 1 till the very end. Every year really good movies don’t get the credit they deserve while others are hailed as classics. This is a movie not to be missed. There is nothing more horrifying than watching just how far a human being can treat another human being. Ghosts, monsters, those things can always be scary but push people to the edge and you will see true monstrosity.
You know, not many movies make me absolutely revolted, which is not at all. But I must say, after I watched Eden Lake, I had to lean over a toilet. This movie was f-ing brutal! Those kids are sadistic, over a DOG!! Just imagine what they would do if you killed one of their friends. Also, watching this movie I realized, why can’t Americans make movies this awesome? But I digress. This movie was intense, brutal, made me cringe, turn away, and take a shower for the next 12 hours. Now I watched the first Hostel, and I must say this movie is way more disturbing. Usually I’m not to in to these torture movies, but this one was terrific. Watch this movie, you’ll be sure to cover your eyes at least once.
Ohhh how angry this movie made me! Not because it was awful. It was a wonderful film, and quite brutal. I was highly impressed. But it made me angry because I got so involved with the characters… and I will avoid spoilers, but once you see it, you will be angry too. DAMN it was good, though. One of the best to come out of Dimension Extreme, along with Inside.
one of the best horror movies I have had the pleasure to experience. a true depiction of human ignominy in ungoverned conditions.
The Film Succeeds in making viewers uncomfortable in watching children commit such violent acts and if that’s your cup of tea, that’s your cup of tea, however…
it’s not mine and I failed to view this film as entertainment and more on shock value and if one was to grade a film only based on it’s shock value that would be a 8 or 9/10 on the scale of that, but like i said watching children commit such violent acts in the most gruesome of ways with no justice for it’s actions in the end, is just not for me.
Eden Lake is one of the most upsetting films I’ve ever seen. I think it’s because it fools you. It begins so cliche, with bad acting to boot, and shitty unbelievable dislogue. But, and what I’m thinking is on purpose, it turns on you. Rips that false sense of security away and throws you into the horrors of survival in an extremely frightening situation.
*SPOILER*
There are alot of people saying this film is rubbish because it depicts children committing acts of violence, as well as violence against children… But what frightened me most is the underlying class war throughout the film; which is obviously fuelling the children’s rage. That these people can be so conditioned to hate outsiders so much that it can result in one of the most depressing finales I’ve witnessed.
It’s not for everyone, and it’s not entirely original, but I think it’s brilliant.
Eden Lake made me cry.
Pretty cool movie….
A good sadistic film that will keep you guesing till the end. I think the gross out part in this movie is when the girl is running and steps on a sharp rock or stick, whatever it was. overall the movie consists of the couple running away from the kids and hiding. I thought it was a good movie with alot of shocking touch. But I didn’t like the end of the movie.
Good Film.
Carrying from the success of “The Descent”, the british horror genre has pretty much sparked and set of a recent set of effective, and damn right disturbing, thrillers. Eden Lake is no exception.
Starring Kelly Reilly, 300′s Michael Fassbender and the new talent of Jack O’Connell – starring in teen smash series Skins -, Eden Lake takes the prime fear of todays youth, pits it in the unstoppable force which is a darkened forest in the middle of a small, isolated town.
A young couple wish to retreat to a beautiful and idyllic lake side – Eden Lake – before being demolished into a housing estate. Rudely, they’re interrupted by a group of youths from the nearby town, and make it clear this couple have trodded on their turf. Their weekend turns anything but idyllic, leading to an unforgettable ending which will stick with you.
By calling Eden Lake tense would be the understatement of the year. Throughout the short – but very well paced – hour and twenty minutes, we follow this couple as they try and survive the disturbed minds of the young group – mainly it’s leader, O’Connell.
Although not the most original film to come out, it’s made unique by the outstanding performance of it’s cast. Reilly pulls out all the stops as the chased nursery teacher, put into situations which will only make viewers hide their face.
Eden Lake isn’t for everyone. I myself found it incredibly hard to watch, and was even upset by some of the situations we found these characters in.
Completely brilliant in every way. One of the best effective horrors in years.
Pretty disturbing. great ending even though I saw it coming!
Pretty disturbing. great ending even though I saw it coming!
WOW!! Can I see a bully pushing his followers to doing things they never thought they would? No question! Can I see someone pushing such bully to the edge in a battle of ego and authority. You betcha! Maybe not to the extremes that this great movie goes, but yes none the same. It also brought up the question between my husband and I. When do you let things go and mind your own business and when do you say something?
While not a “blood & guts” movie, its got some blood flow. It is also one of the most brutal films Ive ever seen. I found the tension almost impossible to withstand. I liked the good guys and absolutely despised the bad. Its hard to watch one bad thing after another happen when you dont feel your getting any justice. Maybe Im paranoid but this story feels like you could read it in a paper any day now.
As a last comment there has been alot of talk about the ending. Did I hate it? Yeah. But have I forgotten it? Not a chance. Im permanently scarred.
That movie really hit the spot diffidently was a different plot the movie really takes you on a ride it was kind of in the survival horror category but that changes as well. Suspenseful, gory and keeps a pretty fast momentum so it will not bore you I would say a must see.
The ending was kinda confusing to me.
better then them but stiil not that good.
This one is complete bull****. There is no movie that is more disappointing. It was not fun watching. What were they thinking?
this movie is one of my all time favorite suspense movies. i think its abit better than the strangers. it really hit the spot. it had a good and easy plot, good amount of gore (not to much), high level of suspense, and it quite realistic. this is a good movie if u like high suspense and a decent amount of gore.
when i rented this movie i didn’t really expect much….but this movie was really good…it doesn’t rush into the horror until about half an hour into the movie…we get developments of the two main characters and get to care for them and there relationship together and we even get a good jump scare at the beginning…than 40 minutes into the movie a intense ride of horror begins…a movie hasn’t been this hard to watch for me since the Texas chainsaw massacre the beginning…the same brutality of that movie is in here…this movie is really bloody and the stab wounds you see on Steve’s stomach arms and hips are just disgusting and very well done…this is definitely one of the best movies so far this year….
a pretty good horror film. But the ending was realy stupid.
Wow, the characters were actually smart (save the whole driving fast with no headlights and a broken windshield). The characters were lovable, the villains were smart, but realistic, and there was actually a reason for all of this happening. It was just a “we’ll kill you just because we can.” It was more of a growing conflict that got out of hand. And was it just me, or did Kelly Reilly get hotter as she got dirtier?
One of the best movies I’ve seen in a while, I would have given it a ten out of ten but I didn’t like the ending very much.
Like grandpa always says when you throw rocks at him “Fuckin’ kids!”
The first couple I felt sorry for ever ever, Kelly Reilly is beautiful and a great actress, and badass ending that pisses you off and avoids the norm. A damn good movie.
So brutal, so shocking, so unfair – disturbing but brillant!
I hated the ending! Gah made me so mad! Completely unfair,asshole kids and parents. Great intensity though, had my heart beating throughout. It made you really love the couple and hate what was happening to them.
Very gruesome too, not too bad though. I’ve never had a movie make me so mad!!!!!!!!! I hate KIDS. Lets bomb that house where they live…any1 agree?? Only reason it’s not a 10 is because of ending….
i actually liked the ending, just as you thought everything would be fine, i started to relax, hell, even my hands stopped sweating! then bam! it all goes tits up again. I liked the fact they shyed away from what would be your cliche ending, they thought f**k it lets finish what we started.
this is a good film with a good and unfair ending.
Very intense and scary movie. Didn’t care much for the ending, but it was still a good movie.
This movie was awesome. I hated those little basterds. Pretty good acting throughout the whole movie. If you haven’t seen it, get it now.
this was actually a very good movie.
horror slashers are getting so uncreative and unoriginal nowadays so to make the killers a bunch of teenagers just proves that this movie is very scary and deeply intense.
great acting and a good story.
maybe a rental, maybe you should just buy it. im not so sure.
I really liked this movie! This movie had it all really. Good acting, Good story, it was suspenseful, overall it was just a really good movie. the ending could have been better though, thats the only thing i didn’t like about it. but what horror movies have good endings now of days? this movie will def keep you on the edge of your seat.
Fantastic movie. It was suspensful, scary, brutal, romantic, but most of all, SAD. This is a great film, but it’s really a downer. Still, an awesome movie, highly recommended to everyone, horror fans or not.
Man I’m soo disappointed! What could of been an fantastic horror/thriller is ruined by an anti, ruthless ending that made me soo angry that I was sick to my stomach! I do think this movie was nicely filmed and sometimes acted and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the end but that is wasted by the fu!ked up ending! I don’t mind brutal horror movies but this one rubbed me the wrong way that I was shaking in disgust and anger. In a way this movie reminds me of the thriller Funny Games because in the end it was pointless and just plain brutal! I really wanted to like this movie but the ending was just too mean spirited for my taste. Overall a brutally realistic horror/thriller that has a strong message but I just can’t look past the ending.
Eden Lake is an example of great, British horror at it’s best, again! This proves that America can’t handle a good horror movie anymore, and the British have taken it away from them. Eden Lake is a stunning horror movie, with a bunch of well known british youths, torturing a romantic couple at Eden Lake, a deserted lake. The gore is wonderful, and the tortue is perfect, the acting is great and the plot has it’s moments. But I felt a few moments were way too stupid, especially the ending. But, aside from that, this is a very good, gory slasher movie, that is worth a place on your shelf!
8/10
If you think you’ve seen true horror, and haven’t watched this, I beg to differ.
Until you can sympathize enough with the heroin to cry, make your heart ache for the bad guys, route for both good and evil to win, and love a realistic horror movie – don’t watch this. Prepare yourself for one of the best UK horror movies ever created. I have two copies of this movie, in case one is destroyed. I recommend EVERYONE to watch this.
How many reviews do I have to see that just say “sucks” or “better than (insert semi-related movie here)”? C’mon, if you have an opinion and you want to voice it, let us KNOW WHY you didn’t like it. Otherwise, we’ll just think you’re ignorant.
On to the review: this movie was just plain brutal, in a good way. I hate kids like this and, fucking a, they’re all over the place. I swear they need a good ass kicking.
The ending, though it didn’t thrill me, didn’t piss me off either. It suited the movie, and just goes to show that assholes can get away with anything cause us goody-two-shoes aren’t always strong enough to stand up to them.
My only real qualm is the like of fighting back. I mean, sure the couple were outnumbered but dude was freaking ripped and could’ve at least TRIED to take a kid down here and there.
I really enjoyed watching this movie but I kept waiting for the victim to start getting her revenge, a la Descent, but it didn’t quite happen. Still a great movie and really well acted.
Eden Lake delivers plenty of tension and vicarious excitement. But it’s also willing to say what other films have been too scared or politically correct to mention: the true horrors we fear day to day are not supernatural bogeymen or monsters created by scientists. They’re our own youth. This movie delivered in so many ways. Realistic horror, corupt and brutal. No happy ending here folks.
Yet another “a couple goes on a trip together and gets in trouble” movie. There has been plenty of this kind, just as the mediocre “Storm Warning” and the enjoyable “Timber Falls”. What makes this movie interesting is how well it is executed.
The movie is filmed very well, and the situation the couple gets in is one many people can recognize to some degree. This movie just show the fears we have come true. All the way through the movie you feel with the couple, and you get pissed at the villians.
I wont give too much away. But this movie with leave an impression on you for sure
I went into this with an open mind, not trying to figure out what I was in for, and boy was I surprised. First off, I can see why people would compare this with The Children, after all, it’s about ‘killer kids’. But that’s like comparing apples and oranges. The difference between the two, is that one was about a virus effecting children, whereas this one was about violent teenagers. Anyway, I kind of had the whole “I know what’s going to happen next” going on, I wasn’t even surprised by the ending. But it was one hell of an intense ride. The movie is fantastic. I loved everything about it.
Its Great, Bit Slow At The Start But good gory bits
Not that original but I liked it, the kids can be somehwat annoying at times but hey there kids.
Once in a while, a straight to video horror film blows me away. This is one of them…gory, creepy, and VERY suspenseful…definitely worth a rental!
“Eden Lake” is another fine offering from Dimension Extreme.
Perhaps the best .It’s a survival revenge flick that is pretty realistic.
The acting is first rate as well as the camera work and cinematography.
A couple goes to Eden Lake for some romance and relaxation plus the lead male character thinks it will be the perfect place to propose to his girlfriend,ring in tow.
What they don’t expect to find is a group of wild out of control kids with major anger issues.
In my opinion if the lead character had a little less testosterone and would have left well enough alone everything would have been ok.
But alas no,he provokes the kids and it only fuels the fire.
What you will see is a realistic game of trading insults and once accidents happen it’s gone too far then a brutal battle for survival insures because you get into the “after what we did we can’t let them live issue”.
It has issues dealing with peer pressure,guilt,how young minds become warped, revenge,vigilantism and then after all is said and done you wonder to yourself.
Who should have stopped this first and at what price?
All in all It’s a gritty non stop terror filled ride that does more than just frighten and shock you,it makes you think as well?
This film was very well made and did not dissapoint. It definately brought me back to my grade school years and the feeling of having to deal with either bullies or troubled teens who were labled “damaged goods”. They really captured the whole pack mentality of gangs and the understanding that kid’s as a whole don’t think about the results or consequences of their actions until it’s much too late. Kudos to Dimension Extreme for not going overboard with the gore, instead they found a nice mix of suspense,horror,sadness and reality to incorporate into this film. Yes, kids can be cruel but alas it’s usually that they’re a product of they’re own enviroment…and this film hammers that message home, in both painfull and shocking ways.
While not a “total” gorefest this film is a must see for fans of horror movies that take the tone of reality and remind us that, yes…this could happen to anybody, even you.
I thought this was pretty boring and ridiculous.
I dont understand why the hell the guy(he was pretty ripped to) didnt beat the fuck out of these punks.Also i found it a bit slow and the kids really got on my nerves, i couldn’t wait to see them slaughtered.
I wouldn’t really class this film as horror but more akin to a sense of hopelessness and dread. Too much is left unanswered, there is no character development and a very disapointing ending.
At one stage I was thinking the woman was going to become a vigilante type character like in I Pit on your grave, that atleast would have given the audience something to cheer about, but nope, the arseholes win.
ZERO OUT OF 10
Really more of a violent thriller than a horror movie, the action is continuous after the intro, and the film is not at loss for keeping viewer interest. There are some scenes of violence that are pushed to a different level because it is oriented by junior high kids. The awkwardness of the kids not knowing what they are really doing makes for interesting viewing (except for the crazed leader, of course–he knew what he was doing). But, it was at times hard to buy a bunch of ruthless blood-hungry kids chasing people on their bikes–I kept on visualizing the “I Want My 2 Dollars!” kid from Better Off Dead trying to chase down John Cusack, but to hack him up instead of get his paper money. Anyway, some genuine terror and violence, and a different ending that obviously will split viewers into hate it/love it camps. I liked it because it was different….but it does rub you wrong, regardless. Good movie.
Brutal is the only word I can explain this movie with.
excellent film, and very suspenseful. the acting was terrific, especially from the lead girl and the leader of the gang of kids. the beginning was a little slow, but all is forgiven once the terror begins. the film wasn’t a total gorefest, but is VERY violent and bloody but realistic. a lot of people disliked the ending, and at first i did too, but i found that it made the film less predictable and even more horrifying and depressing. if you haven’t seen it, rent it…it’ll surprise you
Great film for dtv it’s a bit slow in the beginning but it gets better. Only problem I have with this film is the ending it was such a let down other then that it’s a decent UK horror flick.
A perfect horror, wish I could discover more like this one. Totally entertaining.
Brutal, dreadful, upsetting are not words to describe what happens when a group of hooligans torment a couple on a weekend camping trip. All of the horror either came before (what made everyone so rotten) or is to come (development of the gated community). The middle is just there to present cliches: working class families stick together, drink and beat their kids b/c they love them; the schoolteacher tormented by kids; modern peer pressure makes you a medieval zombie with a cell phone – and no reception, etc. In an early-ish scene at a coffee shop, it’s clear that the adults aren’t going to be any help here either. So, we don’t feel as sorry for any victims later – not the kid she sees in the mirror, the nerdy kid who knows not to be there or even the dogs. I thought the acting and directing was mostly good, nearly great in parts. I fully believed everyone’s lack of awareness and comfort with violence in every situation. I know it’s sad I had to create all the back-story in my head to justify why these uncharismatic people even have influence among each other (at one point I thought the kids were special needs) and fear for the people who buy an executive home on Eden Lake, next to a depressed town full of sociopaths and, at least, one serial killer.
great ending
………
Had high hopes based on positive reviews, but fell a little flat. Reminds me of a combination of Australian film Wolf Creek and the french film Ils. It has it’s moments, but nothing we haven’t seen before. More details here:
http://thewolfmancometh.com/2010/05/16/eden-lake-2008/
Pretty hard hittin nd in ur face kinda movie….Its brutal,horrific,n quite upsetin 2…….d tension is constant n unrelentin wid pretty good performances nd terrific picturisation…..worth a watch….
CRAZYDOC86-how ol’d R U? U soun’d lik a 10 yr ol’d wana B hipstr. fuck i hate people who write like this. Oh awesome friggin movie though. 9/10
This movie has been done a hundred times before. However, this ranks up there with the best of ‘em. Pretty good flick. Worth a rental.
Boring………………………
Such a intense and brutal movie, highly recommended.
Brutal and chilling; but one can’t shake feeling of deju vu while watching Eden Lake.
Great movie. Terrifying, brutal, thrilling and depressing. A great horror flick.
Nasty!! Loved every minute. Definitely not a date movie and avoid like the plague if you’re feeling a little depressed. Not original by any means but keeps your interest throughout, think the Descent but with “Chavs” instead of “Crawlers” and your on the right lines…
A good all round “survival horror/thriller”
Would have got 4 skulls but 3.5 because of the intensely depressing ending.
I’ll be honest, the only reason why I already loved this film (even tho I didnt see it at first) was because David Julyan was the composer, he did the score for the Descent(which is the most amazing horror film ever made) So I already loved this film.
I finally saw this film with my friend at his house, & WOW, It just blew me away.
The atmosphere had been in at least a million movies (lost in the woods) but this film had its own element, I wanted the couple to survive so badly, & I wanted to skull rip those kids.
The message this film was trying to set was that Kids these days need discipline, & thats how they grow up into psychopaths, not because they want to but by the lack of there parenting role models.
I would of gave this film an 8, if it weren’t for the ending, this is how horror films should always end, because in reality the good guy hardly ever wins, I’m glad this was so realistic.
I dont think this needs a sequel
After reading the synopsis and a few reviews for this film… I honestly had no desire WHATSOEVER to see it. But, many thanks to the horror gods of all that is unholy, the NetFlix suggestion que and a list of ‘the top 10 most brutal horror films of all time’ finally piqued my curiosity. What a FANTASTIC horror ride! Eden Lake is compelling, gritty, hard-core and brutal survival horror at its finest. While many find the atmosphere and resolution of the film to be too disturbing to entertain, I was refreshed by the simple brilliance and honesty of the movie’s message. THIS is the type of film that this horrorphile craves… Please bring on more pictures the caliber of this excellent thriller!
Ultimately unsatisifying, lacking in developement and genuine tension. You’re better off watching Ils.
really good but the relative twists get boring
Disturbing horror film! It was very predictable and nothing memorable, but i thought it was worth a watch, and I really wasn’t that disappointed! Those little brats got what they deserved!
Nice little british horror film, apparently this is ment to be some kind of take of from the french film Them aka Ills.
One of the most disturbing films I’ve seen. It’s disturbing because it’s so realistic and this sort of thing does happen. It’s fucked up. and I’ve seen some pretty fucked up films. Good acting as well. British cinema all the way.
A couple go to Eden Lake for a relaxing weekend, where Steve plans to pop the question to his girlfriend Jenny. Much to their disdain, a group a thug wannabe kids plan to ruin their weekend and their lives.
Very few films leave me in such a depressed and angered mood. The only film that really got under my skin and emotionally drained me was Martyrs. Eden Lake is a film that steps up to the challenge and offers the viewer a look into realistic horror. A scenario that could happen and one that does not end happily ever after. Eden Lake doesn’t have the Hollywood ending that some people will be hoping for, which is why it stands out above the rest.
The film presents us with some pretty disgusting and loathsome villains in the kids. They are arrogant, rude and crude. What at first seems like young kids being kids and annoying an older couple, quickly turns into something more sinister. They steal their car, after an altercation leads to the death of a dog, the kids go rabid and wild and chase after the couple. No more fun, these kids mean business. They capture and torture Steve, each taking their turns in stabbing him with a knife and choking him with the choke chain that belonged to the dog. I hated these kids and I wanted them to get what was coming to them, Eden Lake doesn’t give you the pleasure of seeing any of that.
The film quickly becomes a survival horror as the young lady tries her best to survive, not only the kids, but the elements. She is lost in the woods and has to fend for herself. I prayed and rooted for her to make it to safety and she almost did. Making it back to civilization, I thought she was home free. The ending is disturbing and leaves you with a foul taste in your mouth. Something that I applaud and hate the film for. Here we have a movie that decides to not play ball and it goes out on it’s own note. Yet, I’m always one to hate a film where the character, that I absolutely hate, end of winning. Eden Lake is this kind of film.
I watched it based on the recommendation of a friend, I liked it. It was shot well, the acting was realistic, even if the kids were annoying, and the gruesome scenes were indeed cringe worthy. Eden Lake joins Martyrs and The Mist for depressing endings that leave you angry and disturbed. Kudos.
I rate this film 9/10 rather than 10/10, because of the stupidity of the husband in the beginning – although I do realise that if her husband were any less stupid, we wouldn’t have seen such a great film unfold infront of us.
We first decided to watch this because we saw the trailer and though ‘hah’ looks like a bunch of chavs running around, let’s go see it’
The trailer does not back up this film at all. This isn’t my usual kind of film at all, I do prefer psychological horror – however, at the very end of this film, this could be classed as part-psychological horror. The absolute dismay that justice will not be done. That’s psychologically horrible enough for me!
The film plot is predictable, but that does not tear away the fact that the events within it are all very unexpected.
Oddly enough, out of all the torturous scenes, like the young boy being set on fire for a laugh, or the husband (to be) being stabbed with a Stanley knife in the tongue; the scene where she stands on the spike gives me the same feeling as you get when the smack-head from Saw 2 is threw into the needle-pit. Makes me feel very uncomfortable. Which is good, for scenes when somebody’s in pain, it works so much better if there’s a degree of empathy!
Believeable pain makes better horror. And this film’s full of it! (Except being stabbed in the tongue… although I have bitten my tongue, hah).
It’s definitely worth the watch!
Will have you thinking twice the next time you take a dip and then some, like a great brutal story with no happy endings!
“Eden Lake”, like “Saw”, “Deliverance”, and many others before it; is marketed and consistently labeled as a horror film, but feels more like a thriller than a film of that one genre. While it does deal with things genuinely horrific, and the presence of bloodshed, it thrills appropriately and dishes out the brutality that you’ve come to expect. Horror sites reviewed it, praised it, and eventually lead this movie-goer to see it; and it’s about time that I did so.
I enjoy thrillers, as long as they’re done right and don’t try to force a message onto the viewer. There seems to be plenty of commentary when it comes to “Eden Lake”, yet none of it feels unnecessary or pretentious; it actually WORKS, which is somewhat of a rarity. I appreciated and enjoyed the film because it does what it does very well. The least I can do is review it positively and do it some justice; I hope I’m doing so right now.
You’ve got a simple idea to use for a premise: a couple (Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly) take a vacation to a lake area, hoping to enjoy themselves in a romantic sense, and find themselves fighting for their lives when they learn of the inhabitants of the place. In this case, those who live around the lake are a group of hoodies; violent, savage, and abusive from the moment they first come into view. The couple minds their own business; but the hoodies, they do not. Eventually, the villainous kids take their reckless acts to the next level; forcing the heroes to turn to the only choice they have left, which is fighting back.
The film doesn’t do much to inspire what I’d call “sympathy” for the characters, although we still follow their desperate struggle ’till the end, for some odd reason. These aren’t richly written, drawn-out characters; these are just two normal people, and this realization actually adds to the film’s quality. In order for horror to work half of the time, we must imagine ourselves in the situation and think about the moral questioning that would go on during such events. “Eden Lake” will strike its target audience as appealing just for that alone, and possibly even more.
I felt the film was well-acted and convincingly written enough for me to admire it, at least from a distant. There is disturbing violence towards animals, adults, and youths present; but the film’s decision to focus more on atmosphere than just the sheer brutality of the situation makes the experience endurable. The film is visually interesting, and the direction is most certainly first-rate; while the script is just second-rate, but that’s better than most thrillers can manage nowadays, isn’t it?
So yes, “Eden Lake” is some scary, thrilling, exciting stuff. It’s most definitely worth your time, contrary to all that other genre crap that plagues the movie screens of America. This is a British film; with British actors and sensibilities. If you can distance yourself from the unsettling violent content, then perhaps there are some things to like here. If you are a fan of the genre, this movie is for you. It may take other non-genre-fans a little more time and effort to warm up to it, but it’s most certainly a film that will be enjoyed by others outside of the typical genre fan-base, which is good. Like I said; it’s arguable that this is a straight-up horror movie, even though it has its scary moments, but whether I’m right about it or not doesn’t seem to matter. What matters, in this situation, is the fact that it’s a good film. Now I’ll leave all this genre confusion alone, as I’ve run it into the ground a bit excessively for one review.
no thanks. Not a good one.
Fantastic movie, very suspenseful, excellent, highly recommend
Really good movie, good actors, big tension.
Nothing special. Basically if you’ve seen Last House on the Left, Straw Dogs or I Spit on Your Grave you’ve seen this movie too (except for the raping part). I hate that everyone is British in this (I’m not racist, I just can’t understand them half the time) but the two protagonists are believable. All in all, it might be worth a watch for you but I wasn’t too impressed by it, like I said, it’s nothing original or new.
Great British movie. Very suspenseful,exciting and realistically brutal. Granted the guy in the couple makes some pretty dumbfounding decisions but the other elements within the film i.e acting, direction were more than strong enough to compensate. I don’t get why people don’t like the ending though. Personally i love the ending. I think it fits the tone of the film perfectly and is a brave and ultimately realistic depiction. C’mon guys this is a horror movie and true to that from start to finish. Its a HORROR movie ffs. In real life people can and have gotten away with crime and murder so a happy ending would have betrayed the great direction and tone the film so effectively displays throughout.
Pretty good one !
I simply cannot praise this movie enough! I watch it to this day. It has everything a horror movie needs. It’s one of the most brutal horror movies I’ve seen done so well, and the teenagers in it are just so wicked you want to kill them yourself. This one of my favorite horror movies of all time. YOU must watch and own it!
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Watched this for the first time a few months back on my own. It’s been a long time since a horror movie got me so worked up. Last movie to do that was Frontieres. Eden Lake is another one of those over looked, raw, unpolished terror movies. Fantastic ending too.