Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his loyal partner, Dore Strauch Ritter (Vanessa Kirby), find solace (at least for a time) on a remote island after fleeing their native country in “Eden.” Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment

“Eden” — 2.5 stars

Ron Howard’s “Eden” opens with a bold statement: “Fascism is spreading.”

It’ll surely carry weight in modern society, but the phrase is referencing events from nearly a century ago. Based on a true story, “Eden” retraces what happened when a group of Europeans attempted to start anew on the remote island of Floreana, only to encounter the earthly failings they hoped to escape: chaos, blackmail, betrayal and even murder.

Howard assembles an impressive cast, though it isn’t always enough to make up for the overambitious plot of a film that drags

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