The Absence of Eden

I didn't have too much to say about this, it just felt incredibly short. Looking at the themes and scenarios the movie explored, the movie does so only at surface level. I think the intro to Esmeralda raised the tension quite quickly, we're introduced to her in a pretty dicey scenario. It gave insight into her decision to leave. There wasn't too much I disliked about it. One specific thing was the pep talks by the coyote - like he's a good kind hearted coyote? But it wasn't something that bothered me too much. The story is alright, tragic but not particularly moving. I don't think the stuff about the grandma added much to the film, all the stories and narrations from her diary. The movie had pretty good and consistent atmosphere, a dark tone. The big issue is that it just ends out of nowhere, like I was in and out the theatre. Even the subplots end abruptly, logically but abruptly. Like Adria Arjona character feels like an important part of the movie then she's just no longer there. The conflicts the movie has are resolved pretty quickly, made the movie anticlimactic. A few twists and turns wouldn't have hurt the movie. Otherwise not bad, nothing special.

I watched The Absence of Eden with Zoe Saldaña on Hulu... I know she wants to represent the Latino experience and the difficult situations within their lives, but I don't think she really achieves the result she's aiming for.

The film is good overall, but it feels like it doesn't quite connect with the audience.

There's quality in the production and the intention is clear, but emotionally, it falls a bit short.

The movie title says it all. It's a messed up situation, there is no happy ending and a lot is left unknown. To me, that was kinda the point. If you know much about the border and have the cursed luxury of seeing both sides of this story, you know the whole thing is messed up and it all around sucks. You cant take sides and theres no one answer accept be a good human being. I felt like this movie did a great job of splitting your emotions without going too deep. It kept it a bit mysterious and ominous and depicted that the situation is still on going. Great acting by Zoe, Adria, and Garrett as always. A better closing would have been ideal but whatever.

I think Zoe is an incredible actress. With that being said, I wish she would have skipped this film. It didn't do anything for her career. The story line seemed like it was going to be good but it was terrible! I'm so disappointed. I could have turned it off in the middle and still felt the same as I did at the end. The ending was nonexistent really. The story lacked many great opportunities it could have had to tell a real and raw depiction of the circumstances the characters were in.

Why describe the movie and the ice agent and Zoe's character working together? They didn't work together AT ALL.

I'm really bummed that I wasted my time on a movie I had high hopes for.

1 out of 5 stars.

The Absense of Eden is a horrible thriller film about a immigrant trying to find a better life. Only to work for a shady guy. And another story of a ICE agent dating a girl who is working for the cartel.

Plot with intertwining stories. The script never resolves anything in the end. Characters are left unresolved. The story ends abruptly. The direction is dull and boring. The acting is forgettable. The characters are bland. Not much happens in the film.

It is a film that misses the opportunity for it to be emotional with what the characters are going through. Overall it is a film that is worth skipping.