Eden

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.

Ron Howard is never afraid to explore new genres and here he definitely immerses you in the social experiment of posh post-war expats trying to make a way of life an island in the Galapagos. Unfortunately the vision of Dr. Ritter and his wife Sue Storm as well as the machinations of the Baroness along with the stresses of the environment prove too much for the bourgeois marriage of Margaret Wittmer (cutie Sydney again!) and her husband Daniel Bruhl. Still, the cast is gorgeous, the island indeed like a paradise from another era, and Howard reiterates yet again a lesson learned by every wannabe Robinson Crusoe and Hemingway in the 1920's: just find your favorite cafe in Paris, spend six weeks writing a novel about your friends which when they read will have them hating your guts, then thirty years later move to Cuba and create your own Eden. Those are your and my happy days.

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.

"Eden" focuses on a group of mostly German citizens who attempt to settle Floreana, an uninhabited island in the Galapagos after World War I. Their aim for a slice of paradise does not go as planned.

Noah Pink's screenplay for the film is based on a true story (adapted from conflicting accounts written by two of the people who lived it) that almost seems unbelievable at times, except it's not--in fact, most of the details here are historically accurate, down to the individuals' names, characterizations, and, more or less, the series of events that transpired. With that context in mind, it is worth noting that the events depicted here are perhaps not as outlandish as they may seem.

The film is directed by Ron Howard, who is known for his glossy big-budget films, and in that regard, "Eden" does not deviate too far from the director's norm, though the material is notably darker than the kind of fare Howard typically tackles. As often grey and drab is it looks, the film is well-shot and has an epic sort of look about it that audiences have come to expect from him.

Where the film perhaps suffers a bit is in the "movie magic" elements of a production like this, where the nitty gritty realities and sheer difficulty of homesteading on such an island feel glossed over at times. The actors often appear too clean, too rested (which for at least one of them, I suppose, makes senses) and too primped. This is a fine line to balance, as overindulging in the mintutaeua of homesteading and working a tropical landscape like this could become tedious, but a certain amount of it is necessary for the viewer to buy into the circumstances. There is never a significant sense that these people will succumb to the landscape-only to each other-and perhaps that may be the point.

The performances here are largely strong, with Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby playing the intellectual quasi-hippies who were the first to land on this hallowed ground. Daniel Brühl and Sydney Sweeney play a husband-and-wife who arrive and prove to be superior settlers with the the fundamental skills necessary to work the land; while they dedicate their bodies to harnessing the natural resources, the egomaniacal Law pontificates and philosophizes (obsessively quoting Nietzsche and other philosophers) his way through circumstances, with Kirby lending an effective performance as his multiple sclerosis-stricken lover. Ana de Armas gives an outrageous, campy turn as a self-described Baroness who lands on Floreana with grand ideas and a Clara Bow-esque posture, but no real means (intellectual, physical, or otherwise) of achieving any such fantasies. Instead, she utilizes her own sociopathy and manipulation tactics in a diabolical quest for control. I suspect that most of the performances here could be cited by some critics for overacting, but when stacked against the historical record, these depictions of such extreme personalities don't actually seem to be that far from the truth of who these individuals were. Sweeney and Brühl are perhaps the most believable simply because their characters are the most relatable, and their salt-of-the-earth nature prove to be a great asset in this conflict of personalities.

Even for those not familiar with the actual story, there is some predicability here in terms of what will play out, but the funeral procession marches on in a manner that is no less engaging and attention-getting. In some regards, I think audiences will simultaneously expect more and less from this film. It never quite reaches the fever pitch we want, and yet the result remains largely satisfying. As with the performances, I suspect many of the critiques here will hinge on the mere facts of the story. Are these people outrageous? Yes. Does the story at times seem far-fetched? Sure. But as the old adage goes, oftentimes truth is stranger than fiction. 7/10.

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.