Eden Lake

James Watkins, 2008

Medieval gore I can handle, ghosts give me the creeps, crazed murderers I watch over the top of a duvet, but this film is like nothing I have seen before.

I came across this film when it came out in 2008, but was fortunately spared the public humiliation of watching it in the cinema. Despite being left a nervous wreck every time the credits role I feel if I have any appreciation of films I must highly recommend it to anyone wanting to be scared witless and angered by seemingly normal people who could quite possibly live next door. 

The film starts with a visit to Eden Lake, a romantic camping trip away for a young couple, Steve and Jenny; chance to get back to nature and live the simple life for a day or two. What the weekend ends as is far from this. The great british chav with nothing better to do and his group of bored friends wreak terror upon the couple who dared to question them. The young cast who play the members of the group are truly terrifying, ruthless and pure evil. 

A chase begins and the couple begin to flag, picking up injuries along the way but too scared to turn back and try to hold an adult conversation with the mindless youths. Through days and nights of tension, Steve's situation worsens and Jenny is forced to carry on without him and do anything she can to outwit and escape the brutes who hound her through the woods. There is some gore and Jenny ends up covered in mud, clothes torn, hair awry, but still she runs. Perhaps one of the most sickening scenes of the film is when the group turns on one in their own cohort for refusing to fall to peer pressure. This scene is enough to make stomachs turn and makes you question who on earth dreamt up such a horrifying scene of torture and murder.

This film is packed high with tension and leaves your heart racing as you follow Jenny chaotically through the English woodland.

I daren't spoil the ending but the most cruel twist of fate for Jenny will make you question and feel disgust at the human race. The most disturbing thing that Eden Lake will leave you with is the thought in the back of your mind that no matter how disgusted you are, you will realise that the events of this film are completely plausible and that is true terror...

Definitely see this, but you have been warned...

**** / *****