* JerkassWoobie: Most of the chavs themselves. Cooper in particular.
* MoralEventHorizon: The gang crosses it when they torture Steve, taking turns slashing him with knives, and finally stabbing his tongue. During this scene, Brett doesn't do any torturing himself, but forces his "friends" to do it while filming the whole torture. Cooper is even crying when it's his turn to cut up Steve, but he still does it.
* RealismInducedHorror: What makes the movie work is that the monsters are just teenage delinquents.
* RetroactiveRecognition:
** This movie features Creator/MichaelFassbender before he'd become more famous for his roles in ''Film/{{Shame}}'', ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'', and as [[Film/XMenFirstClass Magneto.]]
** Those who know him best for the TV show ''Series/{{Skins}}'' were very surprised to see Creator/JackOConnell here, which is especially funny considering this movie was released a year before his debut in the series.
* TearJerker:
** The ending in which [[spoiler:neither Steve ''nor'' Jenny survive. On top of that, they both died slowly, painfully, alone, and just as they were about to begin the rest of their lives together.]]
** The killing of [[spoiler: [[TokenGoodTeammate Cooper]], and Jenny's [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone subsequent reaction]] to doing so. She may have been defending herself, but [[EveryoneHasStandards she still killed a child]].]]
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: While everyone agrees [[spoiler: Adam]] died ''horrifically'', some found it a little hard to feel bad for him considering [[spoiler: he not only [[YankTheDogsChain betrayed Jenny to the gang]], but never even warned her and Steve of the gang being in Eden Lake in the first place.]]
* ValuesDissonance: Some American audiences wondered "Who goes camping without a weapon?", but legally owning a gun is much harder and rarer in Britain. Doesn't rule out the possibility of blades, however. You're also far less likely to run into potentially dangerous situations requiring a weapon for protection while camping in Britain, as unlike America there are no large predators such as wolves, bears or cougars; unless you're specifically going on a hunting trip, it would be unusual to take a weapon camping at all.
* TheWoobie: Steve and Jenny.
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