‘Eden Lake’ is One of the 21st Century’s Most Disturbing Films [Watch]
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This week’s selection is a profoundly terrifying viewing experience that plays out a lot like a swift and unexpected punch to the gut. I’m talking about James Watkins’ harrowing directorial debut, Eden Lake.
This unflinchingly brutal cinematic effort follows Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and Steve (Michael Fassbender) on an idyllic lakeside getaway. Over the course of the weekend, Steve hopes to share his favorite vacation spot with Jenny before it is turned into a housing subdivision. He additionally has plans to propose marriage. Alas, their peaceful escape abruptly turns into a full-fledged nightmare. A chance encounter with a group of teenage hoodlums sees the loving couple hurled into a series of violent confrontations that will forever change their lives.
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A big piece of what makes Eden Lake so terrifying is the random manner in which Steve and Jenny cross paths with the psychotic teens. That distinction makes the proceedings all the more disturbing. These are two people, minding their own business, attempting to enjoy a romantic weekend away before paradise is paved to put up a parking lot. They aren’t bothering anyone. They aren’t sticking their noses where they don’t belong. And they are certainly not looking for trouble. As such, seeing the two of them thrown into this ghastly scenario feels profoundly unjust.
The protagonists are both gentle souls. Jenny is an elementary school teacher with a disarming way about her. Steve is slow to anger and he isn’t reactive like so many horror movie characters are. He repeatedly chooses the path of least resistance. So for the two of them to endure the torturous treatment they do feels all the more unjust.
The villains of this piece are a bitter contrast to the palatable protagonists. The juvenile ruffians aren’t old enough to vote but they are malicious, blood-thirsty, calculated, and completely unhinged. That serves to make them properly terrifying. Unlike conventional villains, these antagonists don’t just kill their prey and move on. They appear to take a certain sadistic pleasure in dispensing violence toward anyone unlucky enough to cross their path. They possess the same proclivity for random acts of brutality as the titular characters in The Strangers, coupled with an appetite for destruction and torture that rivals that of The Firefly family from Rob Zombie’s House of 1,000 Corpses and its sequels.
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Jack O’Connell is particularly disquieting in his turn as the teenage ringleader, Brett. Brett is unhinged to the point that even his friends appear terrified of him. O’Connell brings Brett to life in such a way that the character exudes an air of menace.
Every exchange between the lead characters and the gang of teenage hooligans is carefully orchestrated to produce profound amounts of tension. And each passing moment builds upon that which came before. That results in a palpable sense of dread that never lets up. And just as you think things couldn’t possibly get any worse, they do.
The cover art for the home video release sums up the film as being “like a bad dream turned worst nightmare” and that is an apt description. Eden Lake is very much like an endurance test for the audience. The flick is tense to the point of being almost painful. But that’s a true testament to the directorial prowess of James Watkins.
I find it hard to believe that Eden Lake is Watkins’ directorial debut. He demonstrates a knack for crafting tension that rivals more established filmmakers. Accordingly, it’s no surprise that Watkins ended up sitting at the helm of The Woman in Black based, at least in part, on the strength of his debut feature.
If you’re keen to check the film out for yourself, Eden Lake is currently streaming for free (with ads) via half-a-dozen platforms. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you what you were in for.
That’s all for this installment of The Overlooked Motel. If you want to chat more about under-seen and underrated films, feel free to hit me up with your thoughts on Twitter @FunWithHorror!
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