Eden Lake (2008)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

James Watkins

Writer:

James Watkins (writer)

Release Date:

12 September 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

Refusing to let anything spoil their romantic weekend break, a young couple confront a gang of loutish youths with terrifyingly brutal consequences.

Plot Keywords:

Young Couple | Lake | Teen Violence | Hiding | Kicked In The Face

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Kelly Reilly	...	Jenny
Michael Fassbender	...	Steve
Tara Ellis	...	Abi
Jack O'Connell	...	Brett
Finn Atkins	...	Paige
Jumayn Hunter	...	Mark
Thomas Turgoose	...	Cooper
James Burrows	...	Harry
Thomas Gill	...	Ricky
Lorraine Bruce	...	Tanya
Shaun Dooley	...	Jon
James Gandhi	...	Adam
Bronson Webb	...	Reece
Lorraine Stanley	...	Nat
Rachel Gleeves	...	Mel (as Rachel Gleaves)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some nudity and brief drug use.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:18 | Ireland:18 | France:-16 | USA:R | Sweden:15 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) | Singapore:M18 | Taiwan:R-18 | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Iceland:18 | Denmark:15

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Rollercoaster Films

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the movie the amount of blood and dirt on Jenny and Steve can change instantly. An example is when Jenny and Steve are hiding underneath the wooden hut (in the lake.) In one shot Steve's chin dips into the lake and this causes his chin to become mostly clean from dried blood and dirt. But in the next shot all the dried blood and dirt is suddenly back covering his entire face.

Quotes:

Brett: Follow the blood!

Crackingly realistic UK 'chav' horror

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.