The best horror movies reflect the fears of the society surrounding them when they arrive in cinemas, and Eden Lake is no exception.
Arriving in cinemas in 2008, Eden Lake played to fears already well established in British society, that our kids were out of control. In 2004, the then-Labour Government further strengthened and built upon the ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order) it had introduced in 1998; it was another knee-jerk reaction to the increasing gang culture on our inner-city streets, which sought to dish out punishments rather than provide meaningful youth work. Meanwhile, tabloid newspapers built upon the fears of a nation as they discussed the “hoodie menace” while printing stories of kids stalking towns looking for victims, while young gangs called the shots on housing estates.
Eden Lake took these fears and elevated them. Here, a young couple (Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender) face an anti-social group of teens led by Brett (Jack O’Connell) on a camping trip. But sometimes, it’s best to walk away rather than poke the hornet’s nest. Eden Lake is a terrifying, riveting, bleak and formidable horror that’s not for the squeamish.
You Might Also Like…
Tormented (2009)
School can be a pretty dark place at the best of times, with the corridors a playground of jibes, bullying and peer pressure. Tormented understands this inherent darkness and the pain many kids face because they’re different. Here, the sadistic pleasure many teens gain from the power they wield in the playground comes back to bite them as Alex Pettyfer’s Bradley White and his small entourage of followers, including Alexis (Dimitri Leonidas), Justine (Tuppence Middleton) and Marcus (Tom Hopper), face the supernatural consequences of their recent actions.
Jon Wright’s movie was labelled a horror/comedy on its release, but trust me, there is real darkness at play in the story. Drenched in blood, gore and screams as karma bites with a sneaky cameo from one Olly Alexander, Tormented is a long-forgotten British horror gem with a lot to say about bullying, social media and mental health beneath the gore and occasional giggles.
Follow Us