The world doesn’t always go the way people expect. When things go against expectation, people are forced to adapt, fight for change, or flee. The new film Eden, which opens Friday, is based on a true story of people that opted for the latter option only to discover it wasn’t all they’d hoped.

In the aftermath of World War I, as Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party began to rise in Germany, some who lived there were dissatisfied. Instead of fighting for change or adapting to new conditions, Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) chose to flee. He and his wife, Dore (Vanessa Kirby), headed for the small island of Floreana in the Galapagos off Ecuador. There, they lived off the land and sought to carve out a new model for society.

Though Ritter and Dore lived in isolation—only receiving a few passing boats on an irregular schedule—his letters that made it back home painted a picture. It made him something of a celebrity and drew others to his cause. Among those who wanted an escape and a chance at a new life were Heinz (Daniel Bruhl) and his wife, Margaret (Sydney Sweeney), who leave everything behind for a new life on Floreana.

When Heinz and Margaret arrive, they are greeted by skepticism from Ritter and Dore, who want to live life alone on their island. Despite the less-than-friendly greeting and brutal conditions, Heinz and Margaret persevere. They build a home, a garden, and find a way to build a water supply.

When the Baroness (Ana de Armas) arrives on the island with grand designs on turning it into a tourist destination, she, too, meets with resistance from Ritter. But her presence changes the dynamic on the island, pitting all the inhabitants against each other with competing visions as they try to make the most of limited supplies.

The film is set in 1932 and takes place over the course of a year as these three groups fight over resources and philosophies. It’s based on the true story from the survivors, something noted at the outset of the film. So, going into it, you know things aren’t going to turn out well for everyone involved.

The film comes from director Ron Howard, who worked on the story with Noah Pink, who crafted the script. It’s based on the memoir from Margaret, who lived her whole life on the island. But it’s focused on this very specific, chaotic, and violent period.

Howard is something of a chameleon as a director, adopting a variety of styles of film. That suites him well here, as this is one of the darkest films he’s done. It’s a daring tale of survival at times, but it’s also a dark look at humanity. There is violence, depravity, and a fair bit of nudity and sexual content. All that will likely turn off some viewers, as will the bleakness of the setting and story.

While there’s a strong cast here, some of the story elements and characters don’t work well. It makes sense that this is Margaret’s film based on her story because she has the most fleshed out character. Sweeney—inhabiting Margaret—also gives the most fierce and engaging performance. It’s unlike some of her past work, but she was so good here it was one of the high points of the film.

Otherwise, this isn’t a fun watch. It’s also kind of long—clocking in at about 130 minutes—which is a run time you feel thanks to the subject matter. It’s not hard to tell where it’s going, but it can be a bit of a chore to get there at points despite strong craft and Sweeney’s engaging performance. Eden won’t be for everyone, but it’s an interesting exploration of a story most won’t know much about.

Eden opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 22.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.