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 in the middle.

1920s Germany, haunted after accepting blame for World War I, was on the brink of demise, as mass poverty and broad social unrest laid ground for the extremism that birthed the Nazi party.

“Eden” shows us none of that, instead drop

See Full Page