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Summary:

Ron Howard’s new film, “Eden,” based on a true story, depicts a group of outsiders settling on Floreana, a Galapagos Island, circa World War I. The film explores the power struggles between three groups: a doctor seeking to create a new social order, a family escaping war and poverty, and a flamboyant baroness seeking to build a luxury hotel. The movie’s tone is inconsistent, oscillating between serious character study and campy melodrama, particularly with Ana de Armas’s portrayal of the baroness. While the film benefits from its length, allowing character development, it ultimately fails to find a consistent tone and leaves audiences questioning the chosen perspective of the historical events.

News Article:

Ron Howard’s “Eden” Struggles to Find Paradise in Galapagos Tale

HOLLYWOOD (December 25, 2025) – Esteemed director Ron Howard’s latest film, “Eden,” has arrived in theaters, but critics are divided on its execution of a fascinating historical event. Based on the true story of a group of outsiders who settled on Floreana, a Galapagos Island, during World War I, “Eden” boasts a star-studded cast including Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law, Daniel Brühl, and Ana de Armas.

The film portrays the clashing ideologies and power struggles between three distinct groups: Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Law), a self-proclaimed philosopher seeking to establish a new social order; the Wittmer family (Brühl and Sweeney), seeking refuge from war and poverty; and a flamboyant baroness (de Armas) intent on building a luxury hotel.

However, critics note that the film suffers from an inconsistent tone, veering between serious character study and campy melodrama. Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth writes that the film “veers between dry and overly wacky, never finding a working middle ground until it’s too late.” Kojder’s review gave the movie two of five stars overall. He notes that Ana de Armas’s performance, while not bad, felt like it belonged in a different movie entirely.

While the film’s 2-hour runtime allows for in-depth character development, the tonal inconsistencies ultimately detract from the overall impact. Moreover, the film’s ending raises questions about the accuracy of the portrayed events. According to Kojder, the ending points out “that there are two different perspectives to these factual accounts,” leaving audiences wondering how Howard and his co-writer arrived at the chosen narrative.

“Eden” presents a compelling historical premise and a talented cast, but ultimately fails to deliver a cohesive and satisfying cinematic experience, leaving viewers stranded somewhere between a serious drama and a farcical comedy.

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