Eden Lake

I vow (for the limited time until I forget the vow) to stop defending horror films. Why? Good or bad, critics just don't seem to get horror films. Sure, some do, but most critics try and grade horror films as if they were failed dramas. But horror films, aside from (critically acclaimed) classics like The Exorcist, The Shining, etc, are often times meant as fun, blood-pumping visceral experiences. I consider The Thing a classic, but in the end it is a gore-filled monster movie where characters make some silly mistakes. It is the nature of a horror film.

So I now arrive at Eden Lake. A British tale of horror that kept me on edge from the start, and left me speechless and moved. Rarely is a hunter-and-prey horror film that is set in the woods well acted, but Eden Lake is one of the exceptions. I felt for the couple whose romantic getaway is interrupted by murderous children, and rooted for their escape, but knowing full well the odds were not in their favor. James Watkins, the scribe and director, created an intense, atmospheric indie horror flick. Some may be disappointed by the "twist" ending, but I found it just added to the downbeat tone the rest of the film carried. I was reminded of The Strangers and Ills while watching Eden Lake, and that wasn't a bad thing. Just the helpless, unfortunate couple caught in a mess they cannot escape from. I still haven't shook the feeling of dread Eden Lake delivered, and I'm glad for this. It means something worked.

Genre - Horror (3.5)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (3)
Directing (4)