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Jaye ([personal profile] jayes_musings) wrote2009-03-06 04:49 pm

Movie: Eden Lake

I heard this film was quite brutal, and I don't mind that, and of course, I'm eager to check out new Michael Fassbender fare.

It is indeed brutal, and people with weak stomachs probably shouldn't watch this. When it comes to movies, I have a pretty much cast iron constitution, but there were a couple of parts that were very, very difficult to watch.

The premise is that Steve (Fassy) takes his girlfriend, Jenny, out to Eden Lake for a romantic weekend and to pop the question. Trouble occurs when they are harassed by a gang of teenagers. As Steve tries to reason with them -- and act a bit macho to impress Jenny -- things go rapidly downhill as the teenagers proceed to terrorize them. They attack Steve and hunt Jenny, and what should have been a wondered getaway turns into a fight for survival.


One of the most harrowing scenes, especially for Fassyfans, is when the teens have Steve tied up with barbed wire and choking on a chain. He's clearly been well worked over, and the teen leader bullies his minions into taking turns stabbing him. One shoves a box cutter into Steve's mouth, slicing his tongue.

While Steve gets free and reunites with Jenny, his wounds are so severe that while she goes off to find help, he dies. Jenny discovers this when the teens catch her and she is tied to a tree stump with Steve's body. The kids are pouring gasoline over them and force this other boy to light a match. Within moments, Steve's body is burning. Jenny escapes when the flames burn through her ropes, but the boy is then doused by the thugs and set alight.

Jenny finally escapes and reaches the nearest village where she collapses. She awakens in a house with several concerned people hovering over her. She soon realizes these adults are the kids' parents, and let's just say the acorns didn't fall far from the trees.



There are problems with the movie. There are times when suspension of disbelief is tried, and you think why didn't they (Steve and Jenny) just do this or not do that, and they would have got away. Some of the coincidences were a little contrived as well, but in all it's a very good thriller, mostly because of the realism. It leaves you with the feeling this could really happen. There's no monster, no supernatural enemy, just a bunch of kids who are, like too many kids today, total little thugs who get nothing but enjoyment from harassing people, and aren't controlled by their parents.

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