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Eden Lake

5/10

Stars: Kelly Reilly, Michael Fassbender, Jack O'Connell, Finn Atkins, Thomas Turgoose

Director: James Watkins

Few horror heroines have had to go through quite as much as Reilly as Jenny in Eden Lake. Battered, bruised, bloodied, cut, spiked through her foot and covered with mud and grime, she flees through forests after she and her soon-to-be-fiancee Steve (Fassbender) have been set on by a gang of six youths.

Confronting the teenagers, led by Brett (O'Connell), after they have stolen the couple's backpack and their car, Steve accidentally kills Brett's fierce dog, setting in motion a bloody trail of revenge, with Brett's girlfrfriend (Atkins) filming the ensuing slaughter.

Fuel for the current crusade against knife crime - most of the youths carry one - the film is remarkably well cast (both the kids and their parents do look like products of ghetto estates) but rather too unrelenting: all bloodshed and too little suspense. Very nasty too - but then that's what these films are all about.

David Quinlan

UK 2008. UK Distributor: Optimum (Pathe). Colour by deluxe.
90 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 3, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 07 Sep 2008