Review of Eden Lake (2008) by Anuwat U — 06 Mar 2010

After 91 minutes, as the credits roll for Eden Lake, you will feel completely and utterly emotionally exhausted. This film puts you through the ringer, no doubt. Taking a classic horror staple (young couple terrorised) and putting a 21st century British spin on it (the "monsters" are a group of young hoodies), Eden Lake is able to comment socially on the age we live in while simultaenously providing a non-stop, tense, atmospheric horror-thriller.

Initially, the film suffers from a clunky script which the usually reliable Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbinder struggle with but, once it settles in and finds it's feet, Eden Lake proves to well worth your time.

Debut writer/director James Watkins throws every horror movie cliche at us but somehow manages to make each one feel fresh and unexpected. We feel for the lead couple and root for their safety, despite them being slightly underdeveloped as characters.

This is probably due to the superb performances of the child actors, led by Jack O'Connell (of Skins fame). He's so nasty and malicious, but does the whole thing with a seductive glint in his eye.

Shane Meadow's protege Thomas Turgoose has a less meaty and showy role than we're used to, but he does excellently. At points shocking, exhilirating and provocative, with an incredibly bleak, non-Hollywood ending, Eden Lake is an incredibly well made and effective horror film, which had me on the edge of my seat throughout.

I recommend.