Eden Log (2007)

A very impressive first feature. It has the shortcomings of it's qualities, but the overall feeling is that of being immersed in an alien landscape for a journey before regaining the planet earth again. It's obscure, not very clear of it's intentions, maybe even a little naive at moments, cold and detached most of the time, but it has the balls to be different. I must admit that i was only a few times during the film awed by what i witnessed, but constantly admiring the fact that it didn't compromise the fact of not searching for the approbation of the largest number. Whatever my feelings at the end, and i'm still not quite sure, i did feel intrigued during the whole duration, and i'm glad that films like this exist and get to be made. The other commenter's have labeled this as "arty", but i'd rather say it has a style and sticks to it, for better or worse. Sure it's eye-candy, and as such doesn't hurt the viewing, but i wouldn't say it's style over substance, i really felt it like an uncompromising vision of of a first time director. It's no Dark City, but it's a pretty damn fine effort, and i'll be waiting for the next one from the director. The music was excellent as well, not really your typical movie score, and added to the immersion. And all this for a certainly meager budget...

All in all, i'd recommend it, a very serious effort, and for that it gets a 7 out of 10. I guess i did like it after all...

Fmovies: Eden Log is one of those films. First-time director, low budget, extreme genre elements and a crew that wants to prove itself. All the right ingredients for a superb genre film. From here on it will probably only get worse for director Franck Vestiel (cfr Aronofsky, Nolan, Kitamura and many others), all the more reason to enjoy Eden Log for what it is.

After only five or ten minutes into the films you will probably be able to name several of its influences. There are flashes of Tsukamoto's work in there, a couple of very obvious nods to Alien (and Giger), a fair share of Cube-like deja vus, but most of all the film reminded me of Blame! (the manga). Something in the overall design, chaos and lack of context that is very close to the pinnacle of cyberpunk.

The premise behind Eden Log is extremely simple. A man wakes up in a pool of mud, not knowing who he is or where he is. There's only one single pulsating, bright light illuminating the room at given intervals as he struggles to get up and climbs over a corpse. The opening five minutes consist mainly of grunting and growling as our main character tries to take in his surrounding. From there on, his journey begins as he tries to find out where he landed and what his purpose might be.

Telling more about the plot would be spoiling some of the fun, so I'll just say that the film follows a very typical, almost game-like, course, with clues scattered around and levels to be conquered. The story does pack some nice surprises though, and the level of mystery is kept positively high so you'll probably keep guessing and wondering until the very end. By then, Vestiel has a pretty cool ending waiting to finish off the film in style. One of these rare cases where the clue of the film isn't a disappointment reflecting on all that was good before it.

All nice and well, but the selling point of the film lies elsewhere. From the first strobe-lit frames until the bombastic finale, the film looks absolutely stunning. Not black and white, but extremely desaturated, the image is constantly dark and menacing, contrasting with very bright lights creating a perfect play between light and shadow. Add the superb set and prop designs, great creature effects and very smart of use surroundings, and what you get is 98 minutes of pure visual bliss.

Apparently this was all done on a shoe-string budget. Even though it never shows, there are clues, like the lack of overly bombastic explosions or effect-laden scenes. It all remains pretty basic and low-key, apart from the ending which is the first big scene (and which cost the most, I presume). But like many of these low-budget films, creativity and craft prove more than enough to overcome any budget problems.

Another strong point of the film is the haunting soundtrack. Lots of grunting, atmospheric and dark ambient overtones and quite some distorted bits make for a lot of tension. The score for the film does a tremendous job of keeping the tension locked and even enhances the atmosphere coming from the images. The screams of the creatures and thumping from his surroundings are also pretty effective, creating a really tight-knit experience for the viewer.

Vestiel might be a first-timer, he's had quite some experiences working on other genre masterpieces like Ils, Dante 01 and Saint Ange. It's a good thing he decided to make his own, as Eden Log outclasses everything he has worked on before. Eden Log is genre film heaven, with superb audio and insanely pretty visuals and a good, m

"Eden Log" is one of those rare films that puts you into a surreal environment, forcing you to figure out throughout the film what the hell is going on, along with its main character. The awkward environment, the modest budget and the slow (for a recent film) pace may scare off many people. Nevertheless, this film has a lot to offer to those who's looking for something different. "Eden Log" is anything like any film I've ever seen.

This film is not for everyone. The plot and the scenery are anything but mainstream, however those who're into a more experimental kind of movie may what they're looking for. Watch it at your own discretion.

Eden Log fmovies. It all starts off in atmospheric style, pitch blackness pierced by the occasional flash of light, only giving you brief glimpses of the strange subterranean world the amnesiac protagonist awakes in. It fills you with the same sense of intrigue and unease that "Cube" did so brilliantly, but whilst that movie managed to sustain it, the constant darkness and drawn-out pace of "Eden Log" soon starts to grate.

There's some nice looking shots in here, and a genuinely interesting premise, but the movie literally keeps its audience in the dark for far too long about the details, meaning that it outstays its welcome and by the time the admittedly impressive finale comes around you're unlikely to care anymore.

Hands down. A truly interesting picture held in the gripping nocturne atmosphere of the dark sci-fi. Very simple, little dialog and few action-filled scenes with lots of details and original ideas. Eden Log is something like a debut from the french director and with this stylish calling card I am helluva sure we will be hearing from this guy again. The story is compelling the viewer making him no less confused than the main protagonist and that was the whole point. The viewer becomes the main persona searching for answers while tripping balls through the dark corridors of the tech cave. The director could easily made it clear with one sentence in the beginning like the most of the crapbag movies today. "The year is... this is... he is... an experiment... and he... " and the rest would be just blank silence with no reasonable point at all. Indeed. Different approach is needed worldwide. I can't even remember the last know good sci-fi movie I've enjoyed and Eden Log came like a small shotgun blast in the head. The black/white editing is very convincing, make-up effects, acting and the ambient sounds and music are very horrific. Man, I really loved the deep voice and look of the Guards. Reminds me of F.E.A.R. from Monolith and this is the funky thing. The whole movie seemed like a filmed game to me. So, if you like sci-fi, this is the movie for you.

Eden Log is somewhat of a good surprise for a french scifi movie. Think of a arty and elaborate form, beautiful black and white photography with rare under lit colors.

What matters here is the mood more than the script, the first half of Eden Log is just the claustrophobic graphic story of a guy covered in mud trying to get out of a dark and low-tech labyrinth, with no memory at all of how he got there. There are very few dialogs, and there aren't even necessary.

Unfortunately, the last third of the movie doesn't quite lives up to it's beginning, the script is somehow too confuse and too explicit at the same time, and the dark and mysterious image of the beginning vanish due to the necessity of writing an acceptable end.

Still i would recommend this movie, it has a very original tone and form, rarely seen these days, and manages to create something on its own, aside from both the Hollywood scene, and the overall shitty genre french scene (if you've seen Chrysalis, you exactly know what i mean !) More than that : If you're fan of graphic and kind of arty movies like Tarkovsky's Stalker, Cube, Aronofsky's Pi, Caro & Jeunet's Le Bunker De La Dernière Rafale, that Forsaken thing or Guy Maddin's pictures you should definitely check it !