Bought this one on DVD yesterday, immediately watched it once I returned home from the wackness that was The Unborn, in hopes of salvaging the evening with some well-done shocks. The whole "couple is stalked and attacked by evildoers in isolated, unfamiliar woods" thing has been done to death, but never before with junior-high-school-student-aged kids as the assailants. Giving this an intriguing edge from jump street.
After The Unborn's stank, an improvement in entertainment was mandatory. Mission accomplished.
I'm still reeling a bit from Eden Lake, honestly. If Jack Ketchum were to write a screenplay and then sent it over to the United Kingdom for an upstart talented filmmaker (James Watkins, in this case), this would be the final product. Bleak as sin, real as life. Uncompromising, and rollercoaster in exposition. You get glass shards in pre-teen necks, while other young bucks are set ablaze while still breathing and pleading for their lives. But all this savagery feels right, not exploitative in any way.
Very tight, smart script, and fine acting. A new redhead actress for me to swoon over (Kelly Reilly), and an actor who'll appear in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds (Michael Fassbender). Plus, the ultimate "nail jammed into person's foot" scene in film history, if I have any say in the matter. Not that there's actual a poll for such a moment, but if there ever is, this one's a shoe-in. Pun not avoided.
For a second, while standing on line at Best Buy yesterday morning, with Eden Lake and Pineapple Express (the 2-disc unrated edition...fuck yeah) in hand, ready for purchase, I asked myself, "I haven't even seen Eden Lake yet, is it smart to just drop $15 on it based off widespread critical acclaim?" Instincts got the best of me, ultimately for the best. A fine addition to the ever-inflating DVD collection, and one I'm hoping to put some friends on to in due time.
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