Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 13, 2009

A romantic getaway weekend goes terribly wrong in James Watkins’ horror fiesta “Eden Lake” (2008), a film I would not recommend to those of you who aren’t capable of handling well extreme violence. Rising British star Kelly Reilly, already on board for Danis Tanovic’s upcoming “Triage”, delivers a top-notch performance that will surely raise her stock on this side of the Atlantic. Courtesy of UK-based Optimum Releasing. Region-B "locked".

The beginning

Jenny (Kelly Reillly, L’auberge espagnole) and Steve (Michael Fassbender, Angel) set off for a memorable weekend at Eden Lake, a picturesque area soon to be developed by real-estate entrepreneurs.

Steve hopes to propose to Jenny at the end of the trip. But at Eden Lake he confronts a group of rowdy kids with a noisy stereo, and things quickly get out of control – Steve is seriously injured and Jenny forced to fight for her life. The verdict on Eden Lake is pretty simple – an impressively-lensed, terrifically acted, and far and away from being politically correct film. For my taste, it is also painfully brutal. But, I suppose this is exactly what you would want to see in a genre film, something that the rest of cinema does not typically bother with.

Some of my British colleagues have been going gaga over Eden Lake for quite some time now, and having finally seen it I must agree that it is unlike anything British directors have produced in recent years. This is raw, uncompromising, and stripped of glamor horror that not only delivers a painful blow to your senses, but it leaves a long-lasting sour taste in your mouth that you won't forget for awhile.

I won’t argue in this review that Eden Lake carries a socially relevant message hidden deep under its graphic visuals. If you find such, and are willing to point it out to me, feel free to email me. As far as I am concerned, Eden Lake is as transparent as it could possibly be, and that is why it has such a profound impact on those who have been brave enough to endure it.

This being said, it will probably take me a long time to come to terms with the “new” Kelly Reilly, not the sweet and giggly girl I saw in Cedric Klapisch’s Lauberge espagnole (2002) and Les poupees Russes (2005). What a transformation! The young British actress certainly has a bright future ahead of her, and with the right script in hand she will make quite the splash on this side of the Atlantic.

Technically, Eden Lake is just about perfect. Cinematographer Christopher Ross (Cass) blends the natural beauty of the area where the film was shot with the horrific events taking place on the screen marvelously. The occasional overhead shots for example are very effective and, given the suffocating tempo of the story we are forced to endure, Eden Lake strikes that crucial balance between beautiful and ugly with such easiness, you would be hard-pressed not to admire it.

The supporting cast, a motley crew of lads some of you will recognize from Shane Meadows’ award-winning This is England (2006) (Thomas Turgoose, Jack O’Connell), also does a superb job. They contribute to the casual sense of horror that separates Eden Lake from other genre films, and at the same time grant it with a near surreal look (seeing kids performing unspeakable atrocities is indeed surreal), which is exactly why this film is so unsettling.

Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, and granted a 1080p transfer, Eden Lake arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Optimum Entertainment.

Optimum have really done a terrific job with the Blu-ray transfer for this recent film! The color-scheme is very impressive – blacks are rich and lush, greens are natural-looking, while the yellows, in all of their variations, are simply perfect. Contrast and clarity are also very pleasing. From the opening 15-20 minutes (mostly daylight footage) to the second half of the film (mostly nighttime footage) you would really have to look very hard to find something to be unhappy with. Furthermore, edge-enhancement is most definitely not an issue of concern here. On the contrary, Eden Lake reveals a smooth and very natural look, which I am certain you would be just as impressed with as I was. Macroblocking is also not something you have to worry about. I would also like to note that there are absolutely no traces of DNR manipulation whatsoever. Finally, I did not detect any specks, dirt, or debris to report here either. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" release which you will not be able to playback on your Region-A PS3 or SA. You must have a native Region-B, or Region-Free, device to access the disc content).

Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The only audio track you will find on this Blu-ray disc is English: DTS-HD MA 5.1. This being said, I don't think that Optimum should have opted for anything else. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track handles the moody ambient score quite nicely, and even though there isn't much of an activity in the rear channels the core of the mix is rock-solid. Those of you who have already seen the film are probably well aware that unlike Haute Tension, or the very recent Martyrs, where key audio enhancements are used to strengthen the shock effects produced by the action taking place on the screen, Eden Lake comes off as a rather subdued experiment in psychological horror. Yes, there are a few scenes where large pops are added to replicate that well known shock effect, but as a whole the audio structure of this film isn't as active as you might have expected it to be. Nevertheless, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track does exactly what it should – it replicates plausibly what the creators of Eden Lake intended. For the record, I did not detect any pops, cracks, or hissing to report here. Also, Optimum Releasing have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature and they appear under the 2.35:1 image frame.

Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Before we get into discussing the abundance of extras supplied By Optimum Releasing, I would like to point out to you that unless your TV handles PAL, or you have a Region-Free player that could perform an on-board PAL to NTSC conversion, you will not be able to watch the supplemental materials discussed below.

First, there are two trailers for the main feature – the first isn't overly disturbing, but the second, labeled "Extreme Trailer", is quite colorful. It shows a great deal of the shocking scenes Eden Lake is filled with. There is also a small section of TV spots. Next is an interview with the director of the film James Watkins where he addresses the plot and the setting (the midlands) of the story. He also explains what inspired him to shoot Eden Lake as well as what it felt like to work with rising star Kelly Reilly. Finally, James Watkins also deconstructs each of the main characters, whether or not they made the right decisions, given what takes place in the second half of Eden Lake, and the reactions the audiences typically have after seeing the film. Next is an interview with the star of the film Kelly Reilly where she basically addresses the same set of questions the director of the film does. I do, however, recommend that you listen to what she has to say about the moral message of the film (apparently the fact that kids were involved in such a violent film rubbed plenty of people the wrong way). Yet another interview, this time around with Michael Fassbinder, allows us to hear more from the cast about the film and its execution. There is a shorter interview with Thomas Turgoose as well, and he also talks about his character and the message of the film. The producer of Eden Lake, James Watkins, also joins in and offers his thoughts on the project. Next is a "Behind The Scenes" featurette where you would see plenty of footage from some of the most controversial scenes in the film (the burning scene for example). You would also hear comments from the cast and crew while working. Finally, there is a larger Q&A session with James Watkins where he talks again about his desire to shoot a genre film, how everything was put together, etc.

Eden Lake Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Violent and seriously disturbing James Watkins' Eden Lake isn't a groundbreaking genre picture, but it certainly is very effective in accomplishing everything recent French horror films have been praised for. The cast, led by the beautiful Kelly Reilly, is impressive, and so is the ride Eden Lake offers. I cannot say that I liked what I saw, and I certainly won't be revisiting this film any time soon, but if psychological horror is what you like Eden Lake comes very highly recommended.