SPOILERS for: Abduction of Eden

               
An intense film that follows 19-year-old Hyun Jae as she is abducted and sold into human trafficking. Supposedly this is a true account of a woman who was in a brothel out in Las Vegas for two years. We witness her abduction at a gas station, first doctors appointment that extracted her braces and her first job that was starring in a porno.
               Although Eden, as she is renamed, only understood the gravity of her situation on her first attempt to escape. Where she runs into a yard where women are having a party, she is shoved onto the ground by her handler then taken away. The women did not even attempt to help her. Thats when she began to comply, through smiles and an act where she would pretend to be a Chinese girl who very little english. Aside from "I like you." and "Do you want to take control or me." She works at fraternity parties, private calls and even auctions. And when they weren't working they would usually clean houses. Her room mate is 15 and has been at the facility since she was 11 and warns Eden of the horrors of being old merchandise. There friendship blossoms and brings great comfort to Eden until she test positive on the routine pregnancy check-up. Then she is spirited away and not seen for quite some time.

               Leaving Eden to her own devices she decided to take back her graduation ring from the favorited prostitute who got it. This is when Eden and Vaughn's relationship beings to change. he threatens her and she gladly accepts the threat since she was old merchandise, preferring death over what would be in store for her as she got older. But then she offers to begin doing the books and counting money for the facility, since its something she is very talented at. Pushing of Vaughn's buttons by saying how he was losing respect from the prostitutes. So at an event Eden proves herself by calculating just how much money is owed and then finding two runaway girls. Then over the next nine months Eden is working in the office to decode orders over the phone, count the amount of money and be Vaughn's pet. Who he takes on outside jobs to deliver/receive drugs, pick up new girls, sell children and clean up after mishaps. There trust between each other changes when Vaughn teaches Eden how to drive while she is high on meth.

             Her escape is a true triumph and stroke of good luck. She answers a phone call one day and the parton asks for a price, a red flag that the person is a fed. She accepts the request and the next day they have to ship out. During the flurry Eden is taken to Vaughn's house where she takes the opportunity to spray his blunt with pest killer. Just before he takes a whiff he confides in Eden that he is proud of her stamina and thankful to have her trust. He actually seems excited to be starting his own brothel with her as his right hand. The she betrays him unwaveringly. As he chokes and cough she doesn't move to hell him or even stirs as he suffers. Eden the returns to her friend who had just given birth and rescues her.
           This movie in astonishing and eye opening into the underground crime world. One that is unforgiving and simply riddled with corruption. And yet Eden and a few other victim have been able to escape it. Which is captured so beautifully in this film, the power of perseverance. Some scenes are glossed over, but others are amplified. Allowing the actors to project their raw emotions, especially  Jamie Chung who showed so much fear, confusion, guilt, but still staid strong. Perfectly putting herself into a position that would benefit her escape. Since she wasn't expecting anyone to save her, she knew that she would have to do it herself. Which sort of makes you pity Vaughn who cherished her acquaintance and was so easily swindled by this girl. Seriously he was a veteran turned junkie and pimp, he knew that Eden would eventually try to betray him, but ignored the fact. And you couldn't say that Eden's actions we out of revenge, but done in order to save herself and her friend Janine. So if you haven't watch Abduction of Eden I highly recommend changing that.