‘Eden Log’ is not a film which was made with the intention of ever becoming a box office smash hit; it’s a dark sci-fi thriller with an element of horror thrown into the mix also and its potential target audience is therefore somewhat limited. Sci-Fi is not the most popular movie genre that there is, ‘Eden Log’ is however surely destined to achieve cult status amongst fans of the genre for its fantastic use of cinematography and sound. Script plays little role in the progression of this film; it’s through the dark use of colour, fine use of lighting, and incredible utilisation of sound that this film is furthered and for this ‘Eden Log’ should have you completely compelled.
Tolbiac wakes up in a deep dark cave with no recollection of how he has got here. He’s confused and all he has to guide him through the caves passages is a small dim light. As he makes his way through a number of tunnels and abandoned laboratories, Tolbiac keeps seeing the same logo in a variety of different places; it’s the logo for the Eden Log corporation and as he goes through his travels he is continually finding out more and more about this mysterious organisation. Tolbiac never feels safe here, he has no recollection of who he is, how he has got here, and there are also a number of potentially dangerous obstacles that he must overcome. He’s not the only one trapped here, he feels very alone however and due to his confused state of mind he never quite knows what he must do next; all he knows is that it’s vital that he make his way to the surface and by some means escapes out of here.
The first thing that struck me about ‘Eden Log’ was just how slow it was to get going. For roughly twenty minutes at the start of the film there is nothing really happening and you do start to begin to wonder if it will ever liven up a little. It’s disorientating and you feel for Tolbiac and the great sense of confusion that he currently feels; all we know is what Tolbiac knows also, and at this early stage in the film absolutely nothing is known at all. ‘Eden Log’s introduction provides for incredibly frustrating viewing and at this early stage in the film it’s really quite hard to stick with it, it’s important that you do so however as it really does eventually progress quite powerfully and provide for a hugely entertaining viewing experience at times. The cinematography is stunning, dark and arty and always extremely visually beautiful. The film has a great glossy feel, there’s a fine clash of black and white colour and always here there is a terrific magical atmosphere. The use of sound furthers the magic of the film, the sound is always here equally as stunning as the cinematography itself and these two qualities of the film really are what make ‘Eden Log’ so special.
Clovis Cornillac is the man that plays Tolbiac here, the character with which we spend most of our time and the one that we see things from the perspective of. This is a very restrictive narrative in that we spend all our time with Tolbiac and therefore find things out only as quickly as he does. Cornillac plays his part well, there’s not much of a script and therefore most of his acting work is done here through his facial expressions and his body language also. It’s not possible to relate to Tolbiac though, it’s difficult to side with him and even more so due to his confused state of mind. Never do you feel that you can trust Tolbiac, there’s no warmth to his character and Clovis Cornillac puts this across incredibly well. As we spend most of our time purely with Tolbiac, it was important here that director Franck Vestiel cast someone with enough charisma and talent to really carry the film; Clovis Cornillac was well chosen I feel and really does show himself to be an exceptionally talented actor in his part. Actress Vimala Pons plays alongside him for some of the film also, aside from Clovis Cornillac she is the most we see of anyone here but never is her character given a name. She’s a lot easier to warm to, far more approachable and pleasant; her character seems a lot more honest and open than Clovis Cornillac’s, and although given far more of a minor part within the film; Vimala Pons also plays her role well here. For the most part this is a one man show, full credit must surely go to Vimala Pons though as she is a very talented actress and when called upon here her ability always is shown to be strong.
The mid-section of this film is by far its finest, the introduction is ruined a little by the speed at which it progresses, and the end of the film also is far from perfect. As the film unfolds you’re always expecting a far more powerful ending than what has been achieved here, it doesn’t quite happen though but it’s still easy to admire the film for its sheer visual beauty. With this film Franck Vestiel has tried something different and out there, he’s dared to be innovative and for that reason ‘Eden Log’ stands strong. It’s not the greatest film ever made, it’s very well visually presented however and both the direction and sound design also are stunning in their portrayal here. The film is beautiful, magical in its atmosphere and also in its sound; in this respect it reminded me a little of a Tim Burton film in fact, it’s a hugely atmospheric film and the use of sound is very much central to ‘Eden Log’s success.
‘Eden Log’ was filmed using only handheld cameras, it’s Franck Vestiel’s feature film directorial début, and although not perfect it certainly dares to be different. This is not a conventionally gripping film, at times it is in fact so frustrating that it will have you literally pulling your hair out, it’s always visually remarkable however and it’s through the use of cinematography and sound that ‘Eden Log’ is made so special. It relies on little script, it’s progression is achieved through its sheer visual beauty and fine use of location. Everything looks so visually pleasing, ‘Eden Log’ is incredibly futuristic in its sheer visual glow and always it is aesthetically astounding. Originally filmed in the French language, you’re given a choice here as to whether you wish to watch the film in French or in English; either way makes little difference as there really is very little utilisation of the spoken word here. If you choose to view the film in French then you’ll also have the option of viewing ‘Eden Log’ with or without subtitles; viewing the film in French certainly gives it greater authenticity, it’s a matter of preference though and regardless of what language you view the film in you should still greatly enjoy it.
This will not be everyone’s idea of compelling viewing, if you have a fondness for Sci-Fi however then I’d most definitely recommend giving ‘Eden Log’ a go; it provides for quite a frustrating viewing experience at times but ultimately the film is really quite satisfying to watch. A lot is held back from you here as a viewer, we do only know what Tolbiac knows and it is this that becomes so frustrating; it all comes together in the end though and half the fun of this film is piecing it all together and working out exactly what is going on here. It’s easy to get caught up in the absolute visual glory of ‘Eden Log’, it’s still a very good film though and despite a slow start and a not too great ending; I’d definitely still recommend giving this film a viewing.
Special Features:-
When you first place the DVD disc in the drive, three trailers roll here for other Momentum Pictures feature films. The three films that feature here are the Japanese Sci-Fi animation Vexille, French Sci-Fi thriller ‘Dante 01’, and the American action film ‘Never Back Down’ also. All three of these films look to be excellent, ‘Never Back Down’ appears a little out of place here but with the other two films you can entirely understand the inclusion of these trailers.
As well as the three trailers at the beginning of the DVD, two further bonus features are provided here in the form of a teaser trailer for ‘Eden Log’ and a ‘Making Of’ documentary also. I don’t feel that the teaser trailer really does ‘Eden Log’ justice, it doesn’t make the film appear as visually stunning as it truly is and perhaps isn’t the best ‘teaser’ that could have been created in order to entice viewers to watch the film. Given the films lack of script though I feel that it was perhaps incredibly difficult putting to film a trailer and can therefore understand why this teaser isn’t particularly effective in its approach. The ‘Making Of’ documentary is I feel the finest extra feature that ‘Eden Log’ has to offer. It’s a half hour documentary which is very well worked and always here it provides for an extremely interesting viewing experience. We get to hear from those behind the film such as actors Clovis Cornillac and Vimala Pons, and producer Cédric Jimenez also. We get to hear the perspectives of these three individuals and their thoughts on what the ‘Eden Log’ production process was like. It’s interesting hearing their thoughts and feeling about the whole process, and it’s suggested here by Clovis Cornillac that everyone involved in the film will benefit greatly from this experience. The ‘Making Of’ documentary provides for a great post-viewing experience, it’s excellent to watch the film and then follow this with watching the documentary also; it finishes off the film nicely and is I feel an absolutely excellent bonus inclusion on the DVD.
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.