Review: Eden (2025)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Written by: Noah Pink

Starring: Jude Law, Ana de Armas, Vanessa Kirby, Sydney Sweeney, Daniel Brühl

Rating: [3/5]

History has continually shown us just how quickly humanity can sink from societal norms when resources deplete and a scarcity mindset beings to develop. Many stories have captured this well, as individuals show their true character when conditions move into the unideal, as seen in Eden, where a collision course of individuals meet in the Galapagos Islands with different intents and perseverance to complete the mission that brought them there. A fine film in its own right but one that definitely left some meat on the bone.

Tired of life in Germany and societal decay, Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and Dore (Vanessa Kirby) decide to leave everything behind and live on the isle of Floreana. They remain alone for only so long when Heinz (Daniel Brühl) and Margret Wittmer (Sydney Sweeney) arrive on the island hoping to emulate the life of Dr. Ritter. If that annoys the doctor enough, another group led by Baroness Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas) arrives to wreak havoc and completely shift the dynamics on the island. 

With the different personalities on display in Eden, you just know something will pop off. Any early pleasantries will quickly shift into something much more depraved and we get just that with this film. In this tale we watch how a bunch of dreamers arrive on this island and quickly learn that life on the Galapagos does not necessarily come wrapped in luxury but rather hard work and determination that some are willing to take on. It does not take long to make the list of who sits in each category in this film, and the only question remaining is how all of this will play out and who survives to tell the tale. 

While much of the focus of the film lies with the Wittmers, the main catalyst that started all of this is Dr. Ritter’s departure and the way he sends out letters cataloging his experience and his musings. In a way, he cannot have too much surprise that others would feel that same inspiration and would want to experience this level of freedom for themselves. It makes it all the funnier at his initial annoyance of the Wittmers, as if he did not create this problem for himself. This doctor carries intrigue and remains a bit of a mystery throughout, allowing Jude Law to slip right into this role and play this crabby character. 

For all of the self-seriousness at hand by these characters feeling like they are making this grand statement by this way of life, we then have the wrecking ball of Ana de Armas as Baroness Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn. She enters the story on a boat surrounded by men who would die for her, and Ana absolutely shines. She stands out completely compared to everyone else, as it appears she exists on a completely different plane. She quickly becomes this wild card that can completely flip the script of this situation with this perceived and literal power she has over certain individuals on this island. She devours every bit of runtime we have her for, which truly serves the film well as one of the main critiques for this film is its utter drabness. Having the Baroness here to shake things up and add some wildness to the story did absolute wonders and honestly saved the movie for me. 

As things begin to inevitably combust as resources quickly become scarce, Eden quickly descends into chaos. Animalistic hoarding tendencies rule each day, and whoever whips out their gun at the opportune time dictates who will survive this ordeal. Loyalties get tested, and true characters reveal themselves amidst everything going on. It does not necessarily come as a surprise; this recounts true events that transpired when a collection of individuals like this all meet up on a singular island.  

Not exactly an enjoyable film to watch other than the performance by Ana de Armas, Eden contains a certain drabness to it that will remove some of the enjoyment to be had. It struggles to maintain momentum in various moments throughout the runtime, but when it hits its stride, it delivers some entertainment for all to enjoy. It’s almost silly at the star power in this film, and they each do their part to deliver on what their characters call for. Not much to complain about, but also not as much to praise; a fine film in all respects.