The Wasteland Reviewer

Eden (2025) Written Review

What is director Ron Howard most known for? Howard is a more workman type filmmaker who has certainly had his own collection of good to great films that have grabbed filmgoers’ attention. At a quick glance, he is not a filmmaker defined by a genre…but with a deeper look, he certainly has a type. The historical drama/thriller is a type of film that Howard has gone back to quite often. Apollo 13. A Beautiful Mind. Cinderella Man. Frost/Nixon. Rush. In the Heart of the Sea. That is a decent bit of evidence to show that Howard loves heading back in time and telling a film in a period setting. That means it should not be a surprise with Eden, a film about a group of individuals vying for control of an isolated island. 

Is Howard able to deliver something unique and interesting from an experiential perspective on Eden? One of the most engaging elements of Eden is honestly the atmosphere and feel of the film. Howard hopes to capture the feeling of being stuck on an island for long periods of time. There is a heat that you can feel from the sun beating down on these island dwellers. You can feel the dirt and muck of this natural life surrounded by nature including animals and plants. You feel like you have been on this island with them and that is a special type of filmmaking to capture such a feeling. Mathias Herndl delivers good results with his cinematography by creating a specific visual styling and an engrossing feel. You will immediately notice and feel the score influencing the experience at every turn…and there is no surprise to find out that it was composed by Hans Zimmer. There are plenty of isolated scenes and moments that deliver plenty of tension. This film does tip the scales over two hours long but unfortunately Howard is not able to avoid feelings of this story dragging at times. 

What is the main reason for this dragging feeling? When you look at the screenplay from Noah Pink there are a lot of elements thrown into this story but there is a sense the whole scenes or narrative threads could be cut. There are elements that feel like they either don’t add much to the drama or story while others feel like they don’t add anything new. Repetition is a concern in this film where there are elements that feel like they could have benefitted from streamlining and cutting. Outside of the bloated runtime, there are some intriguing conflicts brewing on this isolated island. There are basically three main groups of people vying for control in this isolated place. Jude Law’s Ritter is a proud, self-absorbed, and self-important philosopher who believes he will change the world with his ideas. Unfortunately, he finds petty control grabs with his “neighbors” more important. His wife (Vanessa Kirby) has her own conflicts within her marriage and struggles underneath the control of Ritter. An unassuming family (Sydney Sweeney and Daniel Bruhl) finds their way to this place and immediately feels Ritter’s hostility. Finally, Ana de Armas’ Baroness is ready to commercialize this idyllic land which puts her at odds with both families. Pink (and Howard) finds intriguing conflicts and journeys for each of these characters that come together in a film at times violent and brutal while moving and hopeful at others. There are not a lot of truly fresh or dynamic elements, but Howard is able to thread them all together to deliver an entertaining and at times quite engaging psychological thriller. 

Does this ensemble of talented performers elevate the material they have been saddled with? Law is both arrogant and vicious. His intensity is a big driving force in the film, and he truly commands the screen anytime the frame is given to him. There is an enigmatic nature to Ritter while Law finds that mysterious angle to make it work. Kirby’s character is saddled with many ailments, and she delivers the needed physicality to sell it. The on-screen chemistry and tension between Law and Kirby is palpable. Sweeney delivers a much more subdued and nervous performance as a woman who is quite unassuming. She does deliver a good amount of strength though and that shines throughout the film. Bruhl is rock solid here and he must conjure up some intensity at keep moments in the film. The biggest and most electric performance comes from de Armas for sure. Where the rest of the main cast are grounded and naturalistic, de Armas brings a theatricality to her Baroness role as she is indeed that type of presence. De Armas putting on a performance as an insecure woman putting on a big confident performance works well in the film. She also has an alluring nature that de Armas comes by honestly. 

Is Eden a later in career win for Howard? Eden is far from the best films that Howard has created in his career, but it earns a spot as a respectable effort. The film has a good look and atmosphere that is both visceral and intriguing. The cast is too stacked to not make a meaningful impact with the story from Pink and Howard. The film is far from perfect and maybe the script would have benefited from leaning and refining, but Eden is still a rock-solid effort from a workman artist.