Movie Review: Eden

 

Michael's Movie Grade: B

A well-made suspense film. 

Director Ron Howard's newest movie is a survival thriller about three groups of people living an otherwise deserted island and the conflicts that arise between them (it is based on a true story). This is quite possibly Howard's darkest film. It is also simply a quite compelling thriller. With all its dark turns and underlying sense of tension, this movie constantly keeps you guessing how it is going to end, and I found myself often surprised by each new twist. The whole movie also has a wonderfully foreboding sense of atmosphere through the whole film. There is also some delving into some deeper themes as we see a philosopher's beliefs be put to the test when he becomes truly desperate. However, what truly makes this film is its excellent cast. Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney and Ana de Armas are all completely compelling in their performances, bringing a level of depth and gritty realism to these characters.

The movie does have its flaws though. The main one is that the son of one of the couples seems to exist solely for the purpose that they would have a reason to be on the island. He appears occasionally and then will disappear for long periods of time. There are times I kind of forget he existed. He has no personality to speak of and simply works only as a plot device. Another flaw is that the movie is longer than it needs to be and can drag towards the middle section. There are also times when certain dark and uneasy moments seem to exist more for shock value than for help telling the story. Some of the animal gore certainly would have been better if they kept it off screen (there may be a personal bias there as I am a vegetarian and believer in animal rights). 

This is a gripping but flawed thriller.