Eden

An uninhabited island in the Galápagos is paradise and hell at the same time for a trio of couples who settled there in 1929. At one of the remotest areas on earth there is a clash of personalities; philosophical, libertine, and practical. While one couple seeks solitude, another wants to build a luxury hotel, and the third desires a nourishing place for family. As bugs and boars bite hard, and food and water become as scarce as doctors, police, and dentists, each couple is in for a shock. Darwin would be pleased, for on the island that gave him his fame it is survival of fittest all over again.

In this true story it is intriguing to see the starkly different personalities battle it out like in a miniature world. Ron Howard who was present at this screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, was captivated by the zany stories of the characters, and the good and bad of each of them. If anything, he said, he had to dial the antics back. It is hard to choose a side. Jude Law and the other actors are capable and convincing. Hans Zimmer orchestrated the playlist. How many soundtracks can one person do? I wish there was a little more depth to the dialogue, but Eden is a pleasure to watch and contemplate.

The film industry produces alot of films, and this is a good one. Everything about it was quality. Well cast (and nice to aee Jude Law again), beautiful dramatic filming of scenary as well as dialogue well filmed. Excellent pacing and not predictable. I felt the interactions between the well defined characters was fantastic such that it could easily be made into a stage play. To be honest I feel the whole team deserve to be congratulated on work well done.

Basis of story is a very private and intellectual doctor and his adoring wife go to the Galapagos and then a highly practical German couple arrive, followed by a very devious and morally dubious woman qnd her two lovers. What results is a character interaction which creates tension, drama and some twists.

I just got done watching it, and I can't really knock it very much. It's not a bad movie by any stretch.

Firstly, it's based on a true story and very accurate based on the true events.

Second, it is very entertaining. Say what you will about certain things, but it's definitely entertaining. There is lots of humor sprinkled into this twisted tale of survival, and Jude Law leads the way. I found his acting truly humorous (at times, hilarious) throughout the entire film, while De Armas finally takes over with her acting chops as things get messy. Sweeney is very likable and becomes the underdog you want to win.

Third, there is plenty of suspense and some dark twists, and that is what I want in a movie to draw me in and keep me glued. Director Ron Howard keeps the pace riveting and the story full of unexpected surprises.

On a negative side, this might be a film that leaves people wondering what its' message is because it doesn't dive very deep into the themes (although they are obviously there on the surface and in Dr. Ritter's writings). The moral is ambiguous and open to interpretation, but there is something within Sweeney's Margaret that has some meaning, as she plays a bigger role into the development of the island thatn anyone through the present day. Howard could've done a better job elaborating more on the meaning, but he probably didn't want to force any agenda. Dr Ritter is also full of insights into his quest for the meaning of life, but once again, Howard marginalizes these realizations in favor of a predominantly twisty suspense and thriller film.

Overall, it's a solid movie to rent and will definitely pass the time to give you some things to think about.

7/10.

An extremely interesting story, based on true events, an accomplished director, a top cast, Hans Zimmer behind the score. A smash hit? At least not at the box office, the budget is not even close to being recouped. In terms of feeling, 'Eden' was not represented in the media at all, apparently these days there is a lack of the muse to be caught up in realistic darkness and human abysses. The only partially resolved 'Galapagos Affair' sheds light on the hopes and utopias of conquering a new land or escaping the old world in order to build an alternative civilisation there, and how human nature buries all dreams again. The supposed heaven turns into a hell of envy, jealousy, selfishness and vanity. Not forgetting the harsh reality of the supposed island paradise. All the supposed and proven events are almost unbelievable, which makes this survival trip all the more fascinating. A real true-crime story. The film adaptation does justice to this, the well-known cast performs excellently and there is little to criticise in terms of craftsmanship. The response does not do justice to the result, so I recommend it.

A great story, great cast and performances.

A good movie is a movie that makes you want to watch more, think more, understand more. This is one of those.

The characters are based on real people and real events yet it feels like getting introduced to those events first hands.

Obviously there is quite a lot of over-dramatization but it serves the story well.

Watch advice: Recommended.