Saturday, March 26, 2011

A Perfect Getaway (2009)

Movie quotes:
Nick: [handing her the ring] This is for you.
Gina: Holy crap.
Gina: Did you get it from the store in Honolulu?
Nick: eBay.
Gina: How long have you had it?
Nick: Year and a half.
Gina: A year and a half? Well what were you waitin' for you dumb bastard!
Nick: The right moment...
Gina: Baby, you are a man in full.

At a glance:
Maui locations, clever twists, and a sense of humor elevate this thriller about a newlywed couple threatened by killers on their honeymoon

Our review (with spoilers):
Hawaii is so beautiful that you could enjoy your honeymoon there, even if you were being stalked by a killer couple at the same time.

This is what is happening to Cliff (Steve Zahn) and Cydney (Milla Jovovich). Their jungle overnight hike is populated with weird couples, some friendly, some threatening. Things get tense when news reaches them that a honeymooning couple was murdered in Oahu. Cliff and Cydney seem to suspect eccentric Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and Gina (Kiele Sanchez), but there are others as well who seem to be even more likely suspects. There is some squeamish but cartoonish violence, and it’s obvious that the creators have a kind of morality that is old-fashioned and appealing.

A Perfect Getaway never takes itself too seriously, yet it has plenty of tension and action. The Maui locations are fantastic, the more so for me, as I was just recently in Hawaii and it was great to go back, even under these circumstances. The acting is great, right across the board, which is a sure sign of good direction. Lovely to look at and fun to watch, this is not a great film: just a very good and entertaining one.

Rating: 3 of 4

Other reviewers said:
"It works because it's smart, knows it's smart, announces to us that it's smart - then backs off and lets the suspense and dark comedy mix."
- David Cornelius (eFilmCritic.com)

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