BY EMIL TIEDEMANN
When it comes to thrillers Eden Lake proves that the British can reek havoc just as menacing as the Yankees have. But this hair-raising feature goes above and beyond the status quo of fear.The stunning Kelly Reilly (Sherlock Holmes) is a nursery school teacher named Jenny, who decides to partake in a camping weekend with her boyfriend Steve, played by Michael Fassbender (Hunger). The couple drive off to the reclusive and tranquil Eden Lake, and set up camp at its beachside, where they are soon harassed by a group of delinquents.
Things escalate and harassment turns to torment by the next morning, when they awake to discover the hoodlums have stolen their Jeep. The situation again intensifies after Steve accidentally kills the dog of the pack's leader Brett (Jack O'Connell), who forcingly persuades his buddies to help him hunt down the couple in the isolated woods of Eden Lake.
Director and screenwriter James Watkins (The Descent: Part 2) gives us a peek into how truly dispicable the human race can be, taking us on a rollercoaster ride that is, at times, grotesque, horrific, and heartless. Eden Lake will make you cringe, as its victims' survival instincts kick in to high gear, but will also pull back and find moments of sentiment within stages of utter terror, such as in a scene that has a destitute Jenny cradling the young thug she just murdered.
Almost unwatchable during some scenes, Eden Lake bares a realism to its suffering and the heartlessness of its main antagonist, who seems more terrifying than any of the movie villains we've become accustomed to. It's twists and turns may have you feeling a little naucious, but Eden Lake is worth the sit-threw, promising to literally have you on the edge of your seat.4/5 stars
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