I watched this film last night after being driven by the favourable reviews on IMDb; statements like "As the film continues it shocks you beyond belief", "gruesome but some scenes are a little too realistic", and "this was one hell of a ride!" While the film does go some way to partially live up to those claims, as a seasoned horror watcher, I found it to be around the medium as far as horror films go... more suspense than horror. Maybe it's just me being a tad desensitised where these things are concerned. It's certainly not a thrill ride, however, the film does move at a nice consistent pace once you get passed the first 30 mins.
For me the film is let down by the main male character during those first 30 mins, as he gets himself into situations that only a truly self centered arrogant person ever would... as if the film makers needed some suspenseful moments to fill that time out with and created some silly situations to do so. I found myself thinking, "No way, who in their right mind would do that?" But once you get passed all that, the film is very entertaining, with Kelly Reilly from Dead Bodies, et al, putting in very believable performance. The film did leave me with a sense of longing insomuch as it would have been much more satisfying if the main protagonists' revenge was a little more emotionally engaging than the seemingly flippant portrayal it was.
If you saw and liked Funny Games, starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, then Eden Lake is very well worth the watch.
For me the film is let down by the main male character during those first 30 mins, as he gets himself into situations that only a truly self centered arrogant person ever would... as if the film makers needed some suspenseful moments to fill that time out with and created some silly situations to do so. I found myself thinking, "No way, who in their right mind would do that?" But once you get passed all that, the film is very entertaining, with Kelly Reilly from Dead Bodies, et al, putting in very believable performance. The film did leave me with a sense of longing insomuch as it would have been much more satisfying if the main protagonists' revenge was a little more emotionally engaging than the seemingly flippant portrayal it was.
If you saw and liked Funny Games, starring Naomi Watts and Tim Roth, then Eden Lake is very well worth the watch.