Before cementing herself as the ruthless Beth in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, Kelly Reilly headlined one of the bleakest horrors of the 2000s, James Watkins‘ Eden Lake. Watkins, who is directing DCU’s Clayface, is notable for crafting twisted psychological horrors, both on the small and the big screen. But amid his revered works, including Speak No Evil, Eden Lake might take the crown just for its unrelenting dread.
| Movie | IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes |
| Eden Lake | 6.7 | 78% |
The movie follows Jenny and Steve, played by Reilly and Michael Fassbender, who find themselves at conflict with a violent teenage gang, led by Jack O’Connell’s Brett, during their stay at a secluded lake for a romantic weekend. Things quickly escalate from verbal abuse over loud music to vandalism, eventually leading to the accidental death of Brett’s dog, marking the point of no return.
What follows is the gang’s sadistic retribution, and the death of Steve, and after a prolonged period of horrors, Jenny manages to escape, only to find shelter in the lion’s den.
James Watkins’ Eden Lake Denies Viewers Catharsis
In any other traditional horror outing, Jenny would’ve been the bona fide final girl, who manages to escape the nightmare in the end, giving the viewers a sense of catharsis after an unrelenting turn of events. Watkins, however, opts for a more sinister route, grounding the experience in a more nihilistic light.
After stumbling through the forest, Jenny eventually finds a van approaching her way, and what seems like a moment of triumph for both viewers and Jenny, it soon turns out the driver is the older brother of one of the teens.
Though she manages to survive the encounter by causing the van to crash and seeks refuge in a nearby house, Watkins once again subverts expectations, as it’s revealed that the house belongs to the parents of Brett. Brett’s father then drags Jenny to the bathroom to demand answers, and instead of showing her fate, the scene abruptly cuts amid her muffled screams.
Kelly Reilly Loved the Ending Despite Its Twisted Nature
The bleak nature of the ending tends to stay with the viewer long after the credits roll, and the fact that Jenny’s fate is left ambiguous only exacerbates this sentiment. Despite glowing reviews, many viewers detested the ending, and Reilly was well aware this would be the case.
In an interview with Daily Dead, the Yellowstone star recalled telling Watkins about the polarizing nature of the scene during the shoot. The Yellowstone star, on the flip side, loved the twisted conclusion because it further grounded the horror in reality.
Yeah, that ending is brutal. I remember shooting the ending of Eden Lake and saying to the director, “You know people are going to hate this ending. They are going to absolutely hate this.” But I loved the ending. I loved that she didn’t get out because that made the horror feel all the more real. It was very disturbing. I really loved making that film.
One thing is for certain that the upcoming DCU body horror won’t be for the faint of heart, and given how tragic Matt Hagen’s story is, it won’t be a stretch to expect another unrelenting experience from the director.
Are you excited for Watkins’ Clayface?
Eden Lake is available to rent on Apple TV (USA).
