eden lake movie review

The Ending Of Eden Lake Explained

Conservatism has a long history with the horror genre, so the overtly political nature of the infamous "Eden Lake" doesn't come as a surprise. Directed by James Watkins — who also helmed the disturbing remake of "Speak No Evil" – the 2008 film follows a middle class couple on a camping trip gone awry as they fight for their lives against a gang of vicious lower class teenagers.

The film isn't subtle in its portrayal of the opposing classes, nor does it stop from favoring one side over the other. What is less on the nose, though, is the way the film ends. After mean-spirited shenanigans escalate into a barbaric revenge fantasy crusaded by the callous Brett (Jack O'Connell), Steve (Michael Fassbender) is brutally killed and Jenny (Kelly Reilly) barely escapes. However, she inadvertently finds herself seeking help at Brett's family home where the parents of the other teens are having a party. When the surviving teenagers arrive, all fingers are pointed at her.

So, what happened after Jenny was confronted by the adults?

Eden Lake plays on the U.K.'s middle-class anxieties

From the beginning, the film is a commentary on "hoodies." Every character aside from the middle class duo is entitled, incessantly cruel, and feral. Conservative outlets like the Daily Mail  praised "Eden Lake" for daring to criticize the dangerous youths, saying it's "willing to say what other films have been too scared or politically correct to mention."

As a result, despite Jenny's desperate attempts to explain herself, the parents side with Brett. The mothers, distraught over the deaths of their children, hang back while the fathers pull Jenny into the bathroom. Brett has been forced to go up to his room, where he can hear her muffled screams. The movie ends with Brett looking emotionlessly into the mirror, putting on the Ray-Bans he stole from Steve.

Was Jenny, who had stashed a straight razor in her dress, able to escape? It's possible, but given the film's tone, it's more likely that she didn't survive. Brett's father, Jon (Shaun Dooley), says, "We look after our own around here," implying they need to get rid of her.

Interestingly, the film doesn't explore why Steve and Jenny feel comfortable strolling into a low income area, assuming they'll receive special treatment from the locals on what they consider a quirky camping trip to the outskirts of town. They complain about the atmosphere and criticize parents for letting their children stay up late. Their characters represent the morally superior, model citizens with respectable careers — a perfect pair of victims with which viewers can sympathize.

Because of this, it wouldn't fit the film's desolate theme to allow Jenny to survive, escape, and receive justice. Instead, she becomes one of the rare final girls who doesn't survive her own movie .

Parental neglect is a vicious cycle

In any other film, Brett staring blankly at his reflection could symbolize a young man questioning what he has become. In "Eden Lake," though, that isn't the case. Moments before, Brett watches his father attack and then presumably kill a woman he spent the weekend hunting down. Everything the teenager has become is a direct reflection of his upbringing, and he's doomed to continue the cycle of being poor, angry, and a product of societal decay.

Throughout the film, the locals are characterized as crass and morally corrupt, from openly striking their kids to leaving behind a trail of broken liquor bottles. The parents are "bad" because they party, drink, smoke, and hook up in bathrooms. They don't parent their children, who consequently mimic their actions and lash out at people in their community. People like Jenny, a schoolteacher, must try to correct these behaviors and often receive nothing in return.

Brett's forceful leadership, in particular, is demonstrated by Jon in the end as he convinces the two hesitant men that they must help him take care of Jenny. He is following in his father's footsteps and carrying on a legacy of violence. In other words, Brett isn't the true villain of "Eden Lake" — it's both his father who molded him into a monster and the cyclical nature of neglect and abuse.

The bleak, realistic nature of the film is what makes the horror so palpable. "Eden Lake" is relentless through to its brutal finale. However, director James Watkins insisted to  Den of Geek  that he wasn't aiming to demonize the working class — he was simply exploring public fears in an extreme way.

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Eden Lake Reviews

This is grossly irresponsible, deeply unlikeable filmmaking.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/10 | Oct 1, 2024

[An] uncompromisingly bleak film about a vacation goes awry.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 9, 2024

To call Eden Lake ‘bleak’ would be to undersell it. Characters and audience alike, very little reprieve is offered from the lurking terror, the tension often hitting the ceiling but never settling back onto the floor.

Full Review | Nov 27, 2023

A survival thriller with no shortage of cringe inducing moments, Eden Lake hurts to watch at times, but the way Watkins creates such sustaining tension, is impressive.

Full Review | Oct 14, 2021

Strong performances from a talented cast help lift this British horror's so-so script to the point where it can be looked back on as an early outing for some notable British and Irish talent.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 17, 2021

Aided by a script with some sharp teeth, as well as the tense action which keeps the film's pace quick, Eden Lake will linger with you afterwards.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 5, 2019

Technically and aesthetically, Eden Lake is torturous, ridiculous and bloodily tedious.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 4, 2018

...it's hard to deny that the ultra-downbeat finale feels needlessly mean-spirited.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Apr 26, 2016

Works exceedingly well, and will probably stick in your gut for a little while.

Full Review | Aug 28, 2015

A solid horror thriller worthy of a watch, if only for its insight in to how easily the hive mentality can be formed, and how merciless it can be.

Full Review | Jun 4, 2013

Well acted, well directed, and totally intense, 'Eden Lake' is the best horror film to come out of the UK in years.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Dec 22, 2008

An effectively harrowing Brit thriller-cum-horror pic whose yuppie protags' weekend getaway runs violently afoul of the local youth.

Full Review | Nov 3, 2008

A gruelling, grimly effective British chiller.

Full Review | Oct 18, 2008

A well acted, smartly directed horror flick that's gory, disturbing, terrifying and topical.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 18, 2008

...while Eden Lake is effective, something feels not quite right about cheering for prepubescent kids to get their fatal comeuppance.

Full Review | Oct 13, 2008

It is impossible not to admire the way Watkins ratchets up the tension in his debut as director (he wrote My Little Eye) and keeps his tale strictly to 90 minutes.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 12, 2008

It's the latest proof that, when it comes to scary movies at least, the British film industry is alive and screaming.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 12, 2008

Daily Mail scaremongering? Possibly. But formidably well-made, all the same.

Eden Lake: pursuit, persecution, violent death.

Full Review | Sep 12, 2008

It is not often that The Sneak feels like walking out of a movie. But this exploitative, patronising and nauseatingly violent take on Britain's yob culture had your critic eyeing up the exit.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Sep 12, 2008

A Disturbing Nightmare: Returning to ‘Eden Lake’ 16 Years Later

Here in the US, James Watkins ’ directorial debut Eden Lake went straight to DVD and was distributed by Dimension Films. Of all the titles to fly under the Dimension Extreme banner though, this one was the most deserving. The movie turned out to be more of an endurance test than I could have ever anticipated. Eden Lake also manages to be both acclaimed and despised. Anyone who knows what became of Michael Fassbender and Kelly Reilly ’s characters very well understands the mixed sentiments surrounding this movie.

British horror was struggling to hold on after the original closure of Hammer and the Video Nasties period, yet by the early 2000s, a revival had begun. It was as if the reluctance to do genre movies had been replaced with a kind of fever. Dog Soldiers , My Little Eye , Deathwatch , 28 Days Later , Shaun of the Dead , Creep , The Descent . There was now this flood of horror not seen since the ‘70s. And perhaps in a bid to compete with the general intensity of France’s New Extremity, these newer Brit horrors were not all Gothic houses and ghosts. On the contrary, the aughts had an increasing penchant for physical menace, special effects, and sharp violence.

Eden Lake might have been trying to match the bite force of its French contemporaries, such as High Tension , or maybe it wanted to show up overseas movies like Hostel and Saw , but Watkins was also reflecting the times. In more ways than one, of course. Not only had all horror started to push the envelope, there was a discernible uptick in cruelty. The ‘00s output, by and large, was excessive when it came to brutality. Filmmakers had turned the destruction of the human body into an artform.

Pictured: Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender in Eden Lake .

So why does Eden Lake leave a bad taste in the mouth, despite its peers having similar mean streaks? Well, this movie’s timing was as opportune as it was poor. As I had learned through horror movies like  Eden Lake , the ubiquitous hoodie was under fire in the UK due to their perceived connection to criminality and antisocial behavior. The 2000s-era political movement to curb freedoms of hoodies’ primary demographic, namely youth, was met with criticism; Conservative David Cameron claimed the fashion choice was “more defensive than offensive” and wearers required “a lot more love.” However, his “hug-a-hoodie” speech missed the mark, especially when a certain picture — a hooded photobomber waved a finger-gun while standing behind an unaware Cameron — made the headlines. You can imagine how this was perceived and weaponized by the media and public. Not too long after, the most well-known hoodie horror movie was then released. And to some folks, Eden Lake did more harm than good by validating irrational fears.

Horror has a tendency to be the most informed of its surroundings — culturally, socially, politically — as well as transparent with its messaging. So when a movie like Eden Lake delivers a story about reprobates menacing affluent tourists, especially during the midst of Hoodie Panic, then it’s understandable that audiences would feel confused. On the surface is a not-so-standard thriller that is thoroughly gripping. Watkins successfully channeled classic rural British horrors, like And Soon the Darkness and Straw Dogs , and adjusted the ferocity for modern times. The story’s refusal to show mercy or hold back sets it apart from all the so-called “torture porn” coming out in those days.

Revisiting Eden Lake poses a challenge, even now knowing what to expect. Maybe more so. That awful sequence of Steve (Fassbender) suffering unduly at the hands of his teenage killers (led by the magnetic and fierce Jack O’Connell ) is shorter than remembered, but waiting for it to end still feels like an eternity. There was this trend of making the victims of 2000s horror movies intentionally obnoxious so that their gruesome deaths would be more entertaining. In that same vein, Watkins indeed painted Steve to be snobbish and incapable of picking his battles; he could have left and gone elsewhere. But truly, was any of that grounds for death? Absolutely not. And not a swift and painless death, either. No, Steve realizes he’s not long for this world once he finds himself bleeding “gut blood.” Prolonging that agony is equally effective and fiendish on the director’s part.

Pictured: Michael and Fassbender Kelly Reilly in Eden Lake .

Taken at face value, Eden Lake is yet another graphic battle between locals and outsiders. Digging deeper and taking the peripheral Hoodie Panic into full account, the movie is a politically charged piece of exploitation. The story does more than update the violence of vintage rural horror; it also modifies the villains. Instead of the usual countryside and backwoods killers, there are now “chavs” hunting down the middle and upper classes. In his book Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class , political activist, journalist and author Owen Jones went so far as to say movies like Eden Lake encouraged people to be afraid of the working class. And based on the reactions across the pond, some Brits accepted the movie’s portrayal as truth.

It would be remiss to not bring up why Eden Lake doesn’t encourage rewatches. As you might guess, I am referring to the movie’s ending. After Fassbender’s character is removed from the story altogether, Jenny (Reilly) takes over. She’s been set up to be the survivor since the beginning. And like all the final girls before her, Jenny defeats her attackers and finds refuge. Unfortunately, Jenny’s safety and our relief are both fleeting, because her saviors are none other than the parents of the teens she just slaughtered. And like the scary monsters they are thought to be, the parents take matters into their own hands and do to Jenny what their kids did to Steve. That type of ending is much too bleak, even for this one desensitized viewer.

Whether or not it meant to, Eden Lake fed into the idea of a Broken Britain. The belief that the UK was suffering from social decay. Yet depending on whatever side of the Atlantic you happen to be situated on, the political context may not even matter. To the more casual and unaffected viewer, Eden Lake is, quite simply, a viscerally unkind movie. One that exceeds the limits of its own genre.

James Watkins’ new horror movie, Speak No Evil, is now available on Digital.

Horrors Elsewhere  is a recurring column that spotlights a variety of movies from all around the globe, particularly those not from the United States. Fears may not be universal, but one thing is for sure  —  a scream is understood, always and everywhere.

Pictured: Jack O’Connell, Thomas Turgoose, and Finn Atkins in Eden Lake .

Paul Lê is a Texas-based, Tomato approved critic at Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central, and Tales from the Paulside.

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That’s Definitely Not ‘Jaws’: 6 Spooky Mockbusters Worth Watching

There’s a popular idiom often attributed to Picasso about how good artists copy and great artists steal . Naturally, this isn’t referring to plagiarism, but rather the idea that it’s better for an artist to reproduce something directly from the source instead of simply regurgitating it as-is. The way I see it, this sentiment also applies to creative rip-offs, as I’ll take an unlicensed cash-grab over endless sequels any day of the week.

After all, this is how we got beloved franchises like Friday the 13 th (the original film was an attempt at capitalizing on the success of Halloween ) and even Star Wars ( A New Hope was meant to be a cheap Flash Gordon knock-off). And in honor of all the rip-offs that continue to feed the ouroboros that is popular culture, we’ve decided to come up with a list celebrating six spooky Mockbusters that are actually worth your time.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll be defining Mockbuster as any production that intentionally exploits the popularity of an existing intellectual property without actually being affiliated with that particular movie or franchise.

With that out of the way, don’t forget to comment below with your own favorite cinematic knock-offs if you think we missed a particularly fun one.

Now, onto the list…

6. Gamera, The Giant Monster (1965)

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: an atomic explosion awakens a gigantic reptile (played by an overworked actor in a rubber suit), with the creature proceeding to wreak havoc in urban Japan. No, this isn’t Godzilla , this is Noriaki Yuasa’s derivative classic Gamera, The Giant Monster . The Pepsi to Godzilla ’s Coke, Gamera may not exactly benefit from the original formula, but it’s still an important part of kaiju history despite the studio only commissioning the project as a quick cash-grab.

Sure, this schlocky creature feature feels somewhat unremarkable when compared to the real thing, but Gamera really earns its place on this list by launching an entire franchise that would one day hold its own against Toho’s iconic dinosaur. And as someone who grew up building tiny LEGO cities for my pet turtle to destroy as it searched for dried shrimp snacks, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

5. Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies (2012)

Based on a humorous novel written by Seth Grahame-Smith (who is often credited with popularizing the literary genre mash-up), the forgotten 2012 flop Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter isn’t as bad as people make it out to be. However, we’re not talking about that film, we’re talking about its low-budget Asylum-produced mockbuster: Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies.

While Vampire Hunter was criticized for its overuse of CGI and a nearly un-recognizable portrayal of the 16th American president, Richard Schenkman’s Asylum feature boasts a hilarious yet compelling performance by Bill Oberst Jr. in proper period makeup as well as a truckload of hand-crafted practical zombie effects!

Just be sure to keep this one away from historical accuracy enthusiasts…

4. Orca (1977)

Piranha might be the most popular example of the Jaws rip-offs that attempted to ride the wave of Spielberg’s iconic monster movie, but Michael Anderson’s Orca will always remain one of my personal favorite scary movie meant to confuse grandmas at the video store. Yes, the film’s frights are as unoriginal as the Jaws -like marketing makes them out to be, but Orca benefits from some surprisingly competent direction and plenty of underwater violence.

Not only that, but this underrated creature feature also gives our raging antagonist a tragic motivation for its rampage, with highly intelligent Killer Whales being better suited for revenge stories than sharks. They’re also much easier to train, which is why Orca boasts so many spine-chilling attack scenes performed by real animals.

And with the recent trend of real-life Orcas ganging up to sink yachts, only time will tell if this infamous Dino DeLaurentis production was actually meant to be a prophetic warning.

3. Zombi II (1979)

Most mockbusters inhabit a legal gray area, with their slightly different titles and premises giving them some amount of protection against lawsuits. Lucio Fulci’s Zombi II is an infamous exception. When film producer Fabrizio De Angelis realized that Italian law allowed for any film to be marketed as an official sequel regardless of whether or not the project is affiliated with the license holders, De Angelis took advantage of this loophole to create an unlicensed follow-up to George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead .

While the film doesn’t boast the same polish and sociological implications as an official entry in Romero’s Dead series, Zombi II stands out by being a wildly creative zombie romp with its own sense of style. You also get to see a zombie fight a shark! What’s not to love?

2. Carnosaur (1993)

Roger Corman is no stranger to rushed cash-grabs, so it makes sense that the legendary producer would be responsible for the other dinosaur movie of 1993. While Carnosaur is technically based on John Brosnan’s 1984 novel, Corman only greenlit the project because he knew he could capitalize on 90s paleo-fever by getting a dinosaur movie released ahead of the then-upcoming Jurassic Park .

Thankfully, writer/director Adam Simon (who you may know from Salem and The Haunting in Connecticut ) refused to phone this one in, making the best of a low budget by focusing on humorous dialogue and nostalgic practical effects (as well as a bonkers story about a virus that makes women give birth to dinosaurs).

Carnosaur ended up being so successful that it spawned an entire mockbuster franchise, though fans should proceed with caution, as future entries vary wildly in quality.

1. Paranormal Entity (2009)

Another Asylum picture, you’d be forgiven for having overlooked this obvious Paranormal Activity knock-off back when it was first released. However, horror fans who dared to check this one out were shocked to discover that writer/director Shane Van Dyke opted to add his own spin to a familiar story instead of simply rehashing the “source material.”

P.E. may not be quite as polished as its more mainstream cousin, but it’s still better than the vast majority of DIY haunted house flicks available on streaming. In fact, Oren Peli (director of the original Paranormal Activity ) was so impressed with this ambitious little homage that he later collaborated with Shane on other projects.

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‘Eden Lake’ is One of the 21st Century’s Most Disturbing Films [Watch]

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Welcome to  The Overlooked Motel , a place where under-seen and unappreciated films are given their moment in the spotlight. I hope you enjoy your stay here and find the accommodations to be suitable. Now, please take a seat and make yourself comfortable, I have some misbehaving guests to ‘correct’.   

Watch the latest episode:

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. 

Also Read: ‘The Stuff’ is a Slick Critique of Consumer Culture [The Overlooked Motel]

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. 

Also Read: ‘Night of the Living Deb’: Finding Love In a Hopeless Place [The Overlooked Motel]

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 ! 

Categorized: Editorials News The Overlook Motel

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Common Sense Media Review

Psychological horror has gory violence, language, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Eden Lake is a horror movie with extreme violence, strong language, and some nudity. Starring Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a couple who are terrorized by a violent gang of youths while on a romantic camping break, there are no positive messages, although the couple do show…

Why Age 17+?

A parent strikes their infant child across the face. Two characters bully and ph

Language used includes "f--king," "d--khead," "arse," "f--k," "c--t," "s--t," "d

Some light-hearted innuendo. Kissing in bed, topless male and female nudity. Sun

A planned gated community widens the class and economic divide in a local commun

Characters -- both adults and teens -- drink and smoke. A teen forces another to

Any Positive Content?

Few positive messages with criminal and violent bullies terrorizing innocent cha

Jenny and Steve are loyal and affectionate to one another, but the rest of the c

The cast is predominantly White and male. But women feature in a couple of promi

Violence & Scariness

A parent strikes their infant child across the face. Two characters bully and physically intimidate someone younger and smaller than them. Characters threaten an innocent person with knives, tie them up, and torture them. They also pressure others to be violent and inflict harm. Bloody injuries and death shown. Characters torment a captured animal. Another animal is wounded and killed. Property damage as conflicts become more violent. Stabbing and cutting with knives. Some gore. An attempt to cut out a character's tongue. Attempt to burn people to death. Characters vomit because of trauma and injury. Character stabbed to death with improvised weapon. Character is hit by a van. A male character leers at a female's chest through binoculars. He also exposes his penis to her, on-screen.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language used includes "f--king," "d--khead," "arse," "f--k," "c--t," "s--t," "d--k," "t-ts," "bitch," "f--kwit," "p---y," and "bloody."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some light-hearted innuendo. Kissing in bed, topless male and female nudity. Sunbathing and petting on a secluded beach between a character in swimming shorts and another in a bikini. A character's penis is seen from afar.

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Products & Purchases

A planned gated community widens the class and economic divide in a local community. Characters are envied for their relative wealth and material possessions. Characters use their cellphones to film violent acts.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters -- both adults and teens -- drink and smoke. A teen forces another to snort a substance after they complain about being tired.

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Positive Messages

Few positive messages with criminal and violent bullies terrorizing innocent characters. Some instances of caring for and protecting loved ones.

Positive Role Models

Jenny and Steve are loyal and affectionate to one another, but the rest of the characters are anti-social, violent, and vindictive.

Diverse Representations

The cast is predominantly White and male. But women feature in a couple of prominent roles, and there is some minority representation in the supporting cast. Differing social and economic backgrounds are portrayed, though this leads to conflict, and the characters from the lower-income homes are generally shown to be violent criminals with little regard for other people.

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Parents need to know that Eden Lake is a horror movie with extreme violence, strong language, and some nudity. Starring Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a couple who are terrorized by a violent gang of youths while on a romantic camping break, there are no positive messages, although the couple do show bravery and care for one another. Violence ramps up throughout the movie to the point where it is frequently sadistic and bloody, doing serious injury and harm. There is also on-screen death. Gang leader Brett ( Jack O'Connell ) is at the center of the violence, both carrying it out and urging others to do the same. Language is frequent and strong, particularly among Brett and his peers. It includes variants of "f--k," "c--t," and "p---y." There is also some topless nudity and the suggestion of sexual intercourse. In one scene a character exposes his penis toward a female character. The same character leers at the woman's breasts through some binoculars. Gentrification is hinted at being a contributing factor to increasing hostilities between lower-income locals and rich outsiders. There is occasional drinking, smoking, drug taking, including among the underage teens. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In EDEN LAKE, Jenny ( Kelly Reilly ) and Steve's ( Michael Fassbender ) romantic camping trip becomes a fight for survival after clashing with some local teens led by the sadistic Brett ( Jack O'Connell ).

Is It Any Good?

Strong performances from a talented cast help lift this British horror's so-so script to the point where it can be looked back on as an early outing for some notable British and Irish talent. Among Eden Lake 's impressive cast, Fassbender stars unusually as a romantic lead, rather than the one carrying an air of menace. But his headstrong Steve still manages to aggravate the conflicts with the local teen delinquents. Meanwhile O'Connell is largely wasted in the underwritten role of violent ringleader Brett, as he dutifully spits and snarls his way through a list of movie villain clichés. Beating a path through the madness that unfolds is Reilly as traumatized schoolteacher Jenny. Yet despite starring, she is reduced to a foil for all the violence.

The movie's early, simmering tensions provide its most effective scenes. A sharper exploration of the inequalities that are hinted at driving the locals to become so lawless would've made for something far more original -- and horrifying.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Eden Lake . Did the blood and gore seem over the top? Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

Was the movie scary? How did it compare to other horror movies that you've seen? What's the appeal of scary movies ?

Discuss the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

There is some nudity in the movie. Was it handled sensitively? Did it add anything to the story? Why does that matter?

How was drinking, smoking, and drug use portrayed in the movie? Were they glamorized? What were the consequences? Why is that important?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 31, 2008
• On DVD or streaming : January 6, 2009
• Cast : Kelly Reilly , Michael Fassbender , Jack O'Connell
• Director : James Watkins
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : The Weinstein Company
• Genre : Horror
• Run time : 91 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong brutal violence, pervasive language, some nudity and brief drug use
• Last updated : September 30, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Home » Movies » Movie Reviews

‘Eden Lake’ | Film Review

If you can stomach a look at awful adolescents and subsequent torture through a harsh microscope then  Eden Lake  is a film you need to watch. It’s a tough sit, but incredibly effective.

Ten years ago, this gritty and muddy British horror was released and the impact of the story is still as shocking and damning as ever. Eden Lake might not be a horror film through and through, as there’s no ghosts or masked serial killers to speak of, but the contents of the plot feel deadly real and that’s where the true horror lies.

School teacher Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and her boyfriend Steve (Michael Fassbender) are on a weekend trip to the countryside and a stunning quarry soon becoming a gated community. As the couple soak up the sun and enjoy the waters, they are increasingly disturbed by a gang of teenagers who enjoy terrorising them to the point of sadism.

I always remembered this film utilising scary real-life problems and the ending always stuck with me. The final stages of Eden Lake are incredibly dark and a character stating “we look after our own round here” rings terrifying alarm bells. The irony of Mel and Kim singing ‘”Respectable” at a grown-ups party is not lost, as the lack of respect from the majority of characters shown is deeply worrying. The scariest quality of this movie isn’t with jump-scares but instead falls at the feet of bad parenting, deniability and troubled kids, creating a bold social commentary throughout the film which tips over the edge.

It’s easy to say  Eden Lake won’t be for everyone, as there is a lot of nastiness involved. Steve and Jenny are constantly antagonised by the presence of these youths; kids with no outlet for entertainment and no parental care, which leads them to create their own fun in extreme ways. Eden Lake  definitely does not shy away from blood and torture, and it feels like a never-ending intimidation game that becomes a horrible ordeal to get through… in the best possible way, though.

The setting of the film, a secluded strip of woods and leaf-littered floors, is a perfect location for the torment to play out. It lets the teenagers run wild and show off this culture of bad kids that is evident in broken Britain. There’s plenty of opportunity within the landscape of the quarry and surrounding woods for shadowy danger, natural obstacles and visceral pain, which is the pre-Emily Blunt gasp-out-loud impaled foot moment. The adult pair face a trial of nightmarish proportions and it’s a squeamish, tough watch, but an effective brutal look at the negative side of bored kids.

Kelly Reilly really goes through the ringer here, and back again. As the leading lady, she becomes a great force of rising anger and determination as her distress continues. Jack O’Connell is superb and despicable as this twisted hoodlum going down a path of aggression and Thomas Turgoose does well in showing the impressionable personality of people; his descent into culpability effectively shown through the ringleader bullying of O’Connell’s Brett.

This review is part of our #31DaysofHorror feature which is running all throughout October.  Check out the other entries.

Article by Jonathon Wilson

Jonathon is one of the co-founders of Ready Steady Cut and has been an instrumental part of the team since its inception in 2017. Jonathon has remained involved in all aspects of the site’s operation, mainly dedicated to its content output, remaining one of its primary Entertainment writers while also functioning as our dedicated Commissioning Editor, publishing over 6,500 articles.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews

When a couple goes to a remote lake for a romantic getaway, their quiet weekend is shattered by an aggressive group of kids. Rowdiness quickly turns to rage as the teens terrorize them, and ... Read all When a couple goes to a remote lake for a romantic getaway, their quiet weekend is shattered by an aggressive group of kids. Rowdiness quickly turns to rage as the teens terrorize them, and a weekend outing becomes a battle for survival. When a couple goes to a remote lake for a romantic getaway, their quiet weekend is shattered by an aggressive group of kids. Rowdiness quickly turns to rage as the teens terrorize them, and a weekend outing becomes a battle for survival.

• James Watkins
• Kelly Reilly
• Michael Fassbender
• 631 User reviews
• 174 Critic reviews
• 65 Metascore
• 9 wins & 8 nominations

Top cast 18

• Child in Classroom
• (uncredited)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Shaun Dooley , who played Jon in this movie, has some experience with disruptive teens. He starred as Greg, an ASBO in the British Channel 4 drama Episode #3.8 (2011)
• Goofs When they crash against the tree and Steve gets stuck, you can see that there is no branch going through the car's window.

Steve : I promise, the quarry's fucking stunning.

Jenny : The quarry is stunning. No 'fucking'.

Steve : [getting closer to her] Please, miss.

• Alternate versions In order to get the "Not under 18" rating from the FSK, the German video releases were cut approx. by 2 minutes. An uncut version was later made available in Germany with SPIO/JK approval. Only in 2022 was the uncut version granted a "Not under 18" rating following its deletion from the SPIO/JK index list.
• Connections Featured in Bad Movie Beatdown: Christmas Special: While She Was Out (2010)

User reviews 631

• tbahri-380-572824
• Dec 9, 2021
• How long is Eden Lake? Powered by Alexa
• September 12, 2008 (United Kingdom)
• United Kingdom
• Silencio en el lago
• Blackpark Lake, Black Park Country Park, Black Park Road, Wexham, Slough, Buckinghamshire, England, UK (Eden Lake)
• Rollercoaster Films
• Aramid Entertainment Fund
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• Nov 2, 2008

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 31 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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