One of the creepiest horror movies of the last couple of years, Eden Lake clearly draws influence from the likes of Funny Games, as it presents the story of Jenny and Steve, a young couple who head off on a seemingly-idyllic holiday pretty much in the middle of nowhere. However, it doesn’t take long before trouble follows them, in the shape of a group of teenagers (and their dog). And what starts off as a bit of harassment soon makes the whole holiday a simple game of survival.

In different hands, Eden Lake could have been a run-of-the-mill, fairly nasty horror film. And while it’s still not what you’d call pleasant, it’s handled properly, and this means there are substantive characters, some well-handled tension, and an unwillingness to shy away from the film’s setup. It’s a hard film to take your eyes off.

Do be warned, though: Eden Lake isn’t a film where the camera is turned away at the key moments, and family viewing it absolutely isn’t. But it is a very well made modern-day horror film, that sidesteps the many pitfalls of the genre. It’s not an easy film to sit through, but it is a gripping one, and it’s a movie that’ll stick in your mind long after the credits have rolled. Other than that, the less you know about it, the better… --Jon Foster