Eden Lake

All's well in the Garden of Eden

DETAILS:
Released - 12 September 2008
Certificate - 18
Running Time - 91min
Director/Screenwriter - James Watkins
Producers -Christian Colson, Richard Holmes, Ivana Mackinnon, Diarmuid McKeown, Paul Ritchie Cinematography- Christopher Ross
Editing - Jon Harris
Music - David Julyan
Theatrical distributor - Optimum Releasing
Country - UK

SYNOPSIS:
Nursery teacher Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and her boyfriend Steve (Michael Fassbender) escape for a romantic weekend away. Steve, unbeknown to Jenny, has chosen a remote lake enclosed by woodlands and is using the holiday as an opportunity to propose. Although the lake is far from idyllic as first thought when their peace is shattered by a group of unruly Chavs. Reveling in terrorising the couple, things get out of hand when the gang steals all their belongings leaving them stranded. Events then proceed to go from bad to worse when Steve decides to confront their ring leader Brett (Jack O'Connell) leaving them at the mercy of their captors.

REVIEW:
Eden Lake is easily the most criminally overlooked film of 2008. In the UK it made £404,758 and in the US a measly $5,824. To put this in perspective let me draw your attention to the most successful horror film of 2008, Saw V, which grossed $56,729,973 in the USA and £6,123,282 in the UK. Therefore this proves that a film's success is at the mercy of its distributors. You can make the best film ever created but unless it is distributed to the people, no one will ever see it. Eden lake which is undoubtedly the best horror film of 2008 (barring of course the experimental [Rec]) had a non-existent marketing campaign and was thus unable to reclaim its budget. In comparison the worst film of 2008, let alone Horror film, Saw V made around ten thousand times more gross in the US box office. Initially I was angry at the public for not going out of their way to see this film but I soon realised it was not their fault. You cannot blame the people for not seeing a film they were unable to access. The distributors should have had more faith in this film as I honestly believe it had the potential to be the most successful British Horror film since Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later.

The fact millions of people went out to see Saw V demonstrates how the public are prepared to watch any tripe so long as it readily available at the right time. With Eden Lake only open for a week across 10 screens in the USA people did not have enough time to get a hold of it. For a debut feature you need to give such a film time to spread through word of mouth. Unless it has a gimmick to promote itself, like the first prominent horror film this year My Bloody Valentine 3D which has already in its first weekend been opened across 2,534 Screens and has grossed $21,241,456, there is no hope.

For a horror film Eden Lake ticks all the boxes and still manages to exceed all expectations. It shocks, appalls, grips and disgusts you throughout. But what makes it far better than all its contemporaries is the fact there is substance behind the violence. The whole film is not carried by is repulsiveness (which sometimes works in splatter movies) but by Jenny's struggle. Not for a great while have you truly felt for a struggling protagonist as you have Jenny.

But this is due to the film's cultural relevance. Many of the landmark horror films in the past are remembered for playing upon fears of the people at the time and this is exactly what Eden Lake does. Essentially it is a social commentary on our disillusioned youth and their Chav culture. You can read as many Daily Mail headlines as you like but nothing will play on your fears as much as this film. As soon as you finish watching Eden Lake you will be haunted in the knowledge that such events are possible. Perhaps this cultural significance is more relevant to a UK audience but nevertheless it deserves more credibility than a five thousand dollar profit in the US box office. You have no idea just how far this dark film will take you. Without giving too much away the ending itself is one of the most effective endings to a horror film ever written, completely free of cliché or predictability.

TO SUM UP:
If I had had the opportunity to see this film last year it would have made my top 10 list for the best films of the 2008. It deserved far more success commercially to go hand in hand with its critical appraisal. We cannot change the film industry overnight but nevertheless my message to you is to seek out this film, watch it, rent it, buy it and help raise its credibility with a DVD success reminiscent of the infamous Shawshank Redemption story. Also stay away from the mass produced rubbish this year i.e. My Bloody Valentine 3D and Saw VI and spend more time and effort on the smaller critically acclaimed features. They won't dissapoint and will guarantee that better horror films will be made in the future, it is a win win situation. Make a start now by seeking out Mum and Dad!