Eden - Movie Review

Eden tells the story of a group of people seeking for the complete overhaul of society, and attempting to courageously build new lives from scratch immersed in the desert of the Galapagos Islands. This applies especially to the principals, whose journey describes an obsessive search for the personal freedom and sexual relations liberated from the norms of the contemporary society.

Freedom, revolutionary sentiments, as well as the criticism towards the society, with the motives of the search for one’s identity revolve as primary themes of ‘Eden’. The mood swings – from either nail-biting tense or quiet and contemplative. There is something about its setting that combines the strangeness of nature with some of the most captivating human drama; it questions the concepts of civilization and identity.

Jude Law gives a very nuanced performance, beautifully supported by a charming and charismatic Ana de Armas. Great casting for Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, and Sydney Sweeney who all play characters in pursuit of something which makes them believable and compelling.

Ron Howard manages to maintain a consistently good tempo and shots varying from the broad historically symbolic ones to personal drama on screen. His ability to contrast locus with persona brings to focus not only the geographical and existential expansiveness brought out in ‘Eden’.

The musical score of soul stirring melodies intermingled with the sounds of the natural environment increases the barred ability of the film. It is also useful in reinforcing character conflicts as well as adding depth to character’s feelings within the narrative, thus creating an auralorchestral apartheid of togethernessseparateness.

The film is quite visually stunning and the utilization of light and shadows in the otherwise dynamism of the sweeping shots of ‘Eden’. The cinematography used in the movie brings out the surreal feel of the Galapagos by portraying wilderness and tranquility, overtures the plot.

Getting the feel of the film on the rocky shores and the wilderness of the Galapagos is well achieved as a product of production design. Sets portray both the raw and tranquil nature of the exteriors, giving the characters’ odyssey a realism that is more believable.

The use of practical effects is limited but strikes at the right incidence to fortify the storytelling. In this work, there is no need to look for tension in characters or plot: nature becomes the villain, as it is shown that the beauty of primitive scenery can become a threat at any moment.

The movie smoothly progresses through various characters’ stories and breathtaking shots, combining ensemble cast, credible setting and purely natural pacing so that the audience remains interested in the result of the film without losing focus on its dramatic subtext.

As the story takes It also enables proper approach to characters with greater focus on important moments of the plot in addition to giving consistency in the pacing.

Conversations are detailed yet succinct, and powerful when heard in their simple and concise dialogues. It distances itself from the present through the characters’ desires and fears, which adds depth to its themes without distracting from visuals.

Some potential audiences might be bored by ‘Eden’ arresting of a slow-moving plot. However, it is important to focus on the fact that the film occasionally overrelies on visual narration, which might not please the audience that is used to numerous discussions and dialogues.

‘Eden’ enchants with the thought-provoking visualisation of the themes. It may try the patience of some for its runtime, but if patience and a solid core of thought provoking emotion is what you’re after, you’ll not be disappointed.