There's a fantasy we all have, isn't there? To just… leave. To turn our backs on the noise, the rules, the crushing weight of it all and find a patch of earth to call our own. A return to something pure. Ron Howard's Eden grabs that fantasy by the throat and reminds us that wherever you go, you take the rot with you. The brand new trailer from Vertical just dropped, and it's a sweltering, sun-drenched nightmare.
We came here for isolation, now we're being crowded. That's the line that sticks.
Based on the very real, very messy history of the Galapagos affair in the 1930s, the film follows two couples who set out to build a utopia on the island of Floreana. Dr. Friedrich Ritter (a gaunt and zealous Jude Law) and Dora Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) are first, seeking to escape bourgeois values. They're soon joined by the Wittmers (Daniel Brühl and Sydney Sweeney), and then things get… complicated. The arrival of a so-called Baroness (Ana de Armas) with her two lovers and plans for a luxury hotel shatters any illusion of a quiet life.
This isn't a story about man versus nature. It's man versus man. And woman versus woman. It's a pressure cooker of ego, desire, and desperation, and Howard, a director we associate more with heroes (Apollo 13, Rush) than with monsters, seems to be leaning into the ugly. The trailer promises a “carnival of manipulation and violence,” and the footage delivers, cutting between moments of serene, beachy bliss and flashes of brutal, primal conflict. Everyone in this trailer is sweating—was this shot during a heatwave? It feels like it. The whole thing radiates a kind of feverish, paranoid energy.
The film had a rocky start, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last year to what can generously be called a “mixed” reception. I've heard things. But bad buzz can sometimes be the most intriguing kind. It suggests a film that takes a swing, even if it doesn't quite connect for everyone. Loved the idea. Hated the execution (at least according to some on the festival circuit). Still intrigued, though. A film that aims for this kind of psychological horror, a sort of The Beach by way of Lord of the Flies, is always worth a look. Especially with this cast, who all seem committed to looking as miserable as possible.
As one character ominously puts it, “Failure is inevitable”. Maybe the film's, too. Or maybe it's the kind of infuriating, unforgettable experience that gets under your skin. We'll find out soon enough.
What to Know Before Visiting ‘Eden'
- A True Story of Paradise Lost: This isn't fiction. The movie is based on the bizarre and still partly unsolved events that transpired among a small group of German settlers on Floreana Island in the 1930s, which involved mysterious disappearances and deaths.
- An All-Star Cast Descends into Chaos: Jude Law, Vanessa Kirby, Ana de Armas, Daniel Brühl, and Sydney Sweeney lead a cast of characters who believe they're creating a new world, only to fall prey to the oldest sins.
- Ron Howard in Unfamiliar Territory: Forget Splash or The Da Vinci Code. This is Howard diving into the deep end of bleak, psychological thrillers, a far cry from his more optimistic work.
- A Rocky Festival Start: Eden premiered at TIFF in 2024, and the initial reviews were tough. But polarizing films are often the most interesting, aren't they? As Variety noted, the project has been a long-gestating passion for Howard.
- The US Release is Set: Vertical will release Ron Howard's Eden in US theaters starting August 22nd, 2025.
So, what do you think? Is this a trip worth taking, or a vacation from hell you'd rather skip? Let me know in the comments below.
