May 2020
It was last week when I got into a discussion how realistic or not a movie like Eden Lake (2008) is.
To those who love it as in being truly shocked and down (some for days) after seeing the flick the arguments are:
- could happen to anyone
- it feels realistic and believable
To the first point yes it could even though I don't think most would react or take action like the couple, especially the guy did really many things that were far fetched.
To the second point I think there were way too many unbelievable (and stupid) actions and especially too many coincidences that it stopped being believable and I couldn't take it serious any more. And I'm sure that the director intended it as a serious movie to shock its audience. He managed to do so with some (many?) viewers despite the many flaws.
It's true that people do stupid things when they are in panic but it looked like they lost any form of rational thinking. The rational thing is the couple packed their things when it was clear those pesky kids when not going to leave them alone, but that would have made a real short movie. But all the actions, coincidences they just seemed to prolong the movie repeating the same trick making it even predictable. The bleak ending was perhaps suprising but that it was going to be an unhappy end (even though more like a non ending) for the lady was to be expected. Like the rest of the movie totally unbelievable.
Apart from people doing stupid things or things they should not do (because they are in panic, scared, angry, sad) that would apply to many horror movies, movies in general and even real life. That it applies (or I think he meant should apply) to most horror movies like one user said I really disagree. I really don't expect everyone to be rational and do the logical thing but if a movie is intended to be taken seriously for me it shouldn't go overboard with stupidity. I guess that's just me and there is lots of people not seeming to care if anything seems possible and should be taken with a grain (lots of) salt. With that approach I might have enjoyed the flick but that's not how it works. You can defintely make a good movie without all the clichés, tricks and predictable actions and coincidences IMO.
From movies with a paranormal, supernatural or sci-fi theme I accept it not to be realistic or logical since that doesn not apply much there. I actually prefer movies with such themes. There should be rules however, the everything is allowed approach is still too easy (and lazy) IMO. Exceptions are comedies which are not to be taken seriously. Slashers also tend to have this inexplicable and illogical events but I do think most are not to be taken serious either.
But a movie that has the intention to be taken seriously and/or wants to be realistic in my book, should not use all the aforementioned tricks applied in Eden Lake.
What's your view on this?
To those who love it as in being truly shocked and down (some for days) after seeing the flick the arguments are:
- could happen to anyone
- it feels realistic and believable
To the first point yes it could even though I don't think most would react or take action like the couple, especially the guy did really many things that were far fetched.
To the second point I think there were way too many unbelievable (and stupid) actions and especially too many coincidences that it stopped being believable and I couldn't take it serious any more. And I'm sure that the director intended it as a serious movie to shock its audience. He managed to do so with some (many?) viewers despite the many flaws.
It's true that people do stupid things when they are in panic but it looked like they lost any form of rational thinking. The rational thing is the couple packed their things when it was clear those pesky kids when not going to leave them alone, but that would have made a real short movie. But all the actions, coincidences they just seemed to prolong the movie repeating the same trick making it even predictable. The bleak ending was perhaps suprising but that it was going to be an unhappy end (even though more like a non ending) for the lady was to be expected. Like the rest of the movie totally unbelievable.
Apart from people doing stupid things or things they should not do (because they are in panic, scared, angry, sad) that would apply to many horror movies, movies in general and even real life. That it applies (or I think he meant should apply) to most horror movies like one user said I really disagree. I really don't expect everyone to be rational and do the logical thing but if a movie is intended to be taken seriously for me it shouldn't go overboard with stupidity. I guess that's just me and there is lots of people not seeming to care if anything seems possible and should be taken with a grain (lots of) salt. With that approach I might have enjoyed the flick but that's not how it works. You can defintely make a good movie without all the clichés, tricks and predictable actions and coincidences IMO.
From movies with a paranormal, supernatural or sci-fi theme I accept it not to be realistic or logical since that doesn not apply much there. I actually prefer movies with such themes. There should be rules however, the everything is allowed approach is still too easy (and lazy) IMO. Exceptions are comedies which are not to be taken seriously. Slashers also tend to have this inexplicable and illogical events but I do think most are not to be taken serious either.
But a movie that has the intention to be taken seriously and/or wants to be realistic in my book, should not use all the aforementioned tricks applied in Eden Lake.
What's your view on this?
In a general example of stupidity I've seen far too often in movies is when crazy danger is afoot, but a main character insists on "doing the right thing" and going back to rescue some random person from the danger when most people would just run the fuck out of there and never look back. That's when you know someone is writing a story just to milk the "terror" a bit more, but I find it an unlikely scenario. People aren't that noble most of the time.
Reasonable decisions made by characters is quite important to me, unless I'm watching a movie that is unintentionally awful, but if I want a "good" scare, it needs to be authentic. Even if the movie isn't based in current reality, like you say, there needs to be some rules. Take a movie like Alien. It's a space horror (not based on our reality quite yet), but it is still based in science and physical dangers still apply. With that said, ghost movies can take a hike. I've very rarely enjoyed paranormal movies because they're so hard to believe.