20 Horror Movies That Were Way Too Cruel
9. Eden Lake
This British hoodie horror has always been severely overrated. Alongside its offensive portrayal of the working class - if Jeremy Kyle ever made a movie, it'd look like this - it's another one of those movies where nothing that happens feels earned. Why? Because every bad thing that happens is down to an improbable coincidence or an unrealistically stupid decision.
Main characters Steve (Michael Fassbender) and Jenny (Kelly Reilly), who are being stalked by a group of murderous teenagers led by Brett (Jack O'Connell), repeatedly make silly choices, such as initially leaving their valuables unattended even though those dangerous kids were nearby, and failing to fight back or just, you know, leave.
As for those pesky coincidences, there are a lot. The initial thing that sets everything off is the death of Brett's dog, who conveniently lands on a knife Steve and two teens are fighting over when it goes to attack Steve. In another moment, the movie uses the tiresome 'accidental murder' trope when Jenny unintentionally kills one of the kids. At the end, Jenny finally escapes into a nearby house and, of course, it's Brett's home, and she's (presumably) killed by his parents.