The Perfect Getaway (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
3 pairs of lovers on a Hawaiian wilderness vacation discover that 2 psychopaths are stalking & murdering tourists in 'A Perfect Getaway', written & directed by David Twohy. The 3 couples who make-up the ensemble of this film are all backpacking; en route to a remote, paradisal beach - a beach that is only reachable by a secluded 11-mile trail that are dangerous in & of themselves. If anyone does get there, it's 'normally' by helicopter or kayak. It is midway through the story when they discover the news of the grisly murders - just one island over (and the suspects are a young white couple, like these people). Cliff, a movie screenwriter, & Cydney (Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich) are newlyweds on their honeymoon. Nick & Gina (Timothy Olyphant, Keile Sanchez) are unmarried adventurers whose goal is to conquer this nearly unreachable beach. Together, these couples earn each other's trust (hesitantly) by trekking some dangerous mountain cliffs together.
And the 3rd couple is Kale & Cleo (Chris Hemsworth of Star Trek, Marley Shelton); hippie hitchhikers who give off a vibe that says 'we're weird enough to be the psychopaths in question'. Kale, in particular, has a worrying temper. But Cliff & Cydney are the most freaked out about the couple they're traveling with; and begin suspecting that the 'slightly-off' Nick & Gina could be the diabolical pair instead. And they'd have cause for concern: Nick is a wild ex-military man; a Special Ops soldier with a troubled background. And Gina just seems too good (& free-spirity) to be true. There's something concerning in their awkward calm as a couple. Tensions rise. The balance of trust is shaken. Weapons are drawn. And 2/3 through the movie, a plot twist is thrown at us that will either completely surprise you or bore you to tears. I was caught somewhere in the middle.
'APG' is mostly diverting; and that's it biggest asset. It's not compelling, but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen; looking for clues - as it's fairly well-known that there is a twist that goes along with the movie (just who are the killers?). There are mis-directions abounding. 'APG' is never great, but it's sometimes good. And it makes me feel like with a different director & a tighter script, it could have been an absolute late-Summer knock-out (like 2005's Red Eye). A lot of this film's success hinges on the aforementioned 'twist'. If you're along for the ride & the twist comes at you from nowhere, then in all likelihood, you'll dig the movie. If you've felt that the movie is plodding along (it's very talky), & you already figured out the twist ahead of time, then I'm sure you'll despise this. For me, the movie kept me interested with a lengthy, but solid build up, clever writing & decent performances; so the fact that the twist didn't entirely surprise me didn't bother me, too much.
Having said that, it does make the rest of the proceedings feel a tad superfluous; where a standard slasher/thriller takes hold. And you think/assume that maybe there's another twist around the corner; but there isn't one. One other negative of the film - aside from some near misses, light gore, & chase sequences near the end, the movie really isn't scary, at all. This movie should have been scarier (to go with the gimmicky, sort of-effective twist). But, as mentioned, I did enjoy this movie on a base level. The scenic Hawaii locale is nice to look at; and it counters the ambiguity & terror which comes to the main characters later on. Steve Zahn brings his goofy/hyper side to nice, nerdy Cliff. Milla Jovovich shows an aptitude for stellar comedic timing. Timothy Olyphant (someone I've not cared for in the past) gives a spirited, off-the-wall performance as Nick. And Kiele Sanchez is both sexy, & sweet. But is she a killer? I won't tell.
And the 3rd couple is Kale & Cleo (Chris Hemsworth of Star Trek, Marley Shelton); hippie hitchhikers who give off a vibe that says 'we're weird enough to be the psychopaths in question'. Kale, in particular, has a worrying temper. But Cliff & Cydney are the most freaked out about the couple they're traveling with; and begin suspecting that the 'slightly-off' Nick & Gina could be the diabolical pair instead. And they'd have cause for concern: Nick is a wild ex-military man; a Special Ops soldier with a troubled background. And Gina just seems too good (& free-spirity) to be true. There's something concerning in their awkward calm as a couple. Tensions rise. The balance of trust is shaken. Weapons are drawn. And 2/3 through the movie, a plot twist is thrown at us that will either completely surprise you or bore you to tears. I was caught somewhere in the middle.
'APG' is mostly diverting; and that's it biggest asset. It's not compelling, but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen; looking for clues - as it's fairly well-known that there is a twist that goes along with the movie (just who are the killers?). There are mis-directions abounding. 'APG' is never great, but it's sometimes good. And it makes me feel like with a different director & a tighter script, it could have been an absolute late-Summer knock-out (like 2005's Red Eye). A lot of this film's success hinges on the aforementioned 'twist'. If you're along for the ride & the twist comes at you from nowhere, then in all likelihood, you'll dig the movie. If you've felt that the movie is plodding along (it's very talky), & you already figured out the twist ahead of time, then I'm sure you'll despise this. For me, the movie kept me interested with a lengthy, but solid build up, clever writing & decent performances; so the fact that the twist didn't entirely surprise me didn't bother me, too much.
Having said that, it does make the rest of the proceedings feel a tad superfluous; where a standard slasher/thriller takes hold. And you think/assume that maybe there's another twist around the corner; but there isn't one. One other negative of the film - aside from some near misses, light gore, & chase sequences near the end, the movie really isn't scary, at all. This movie should have been scarier (to go with the gimmicky, sort of-effective twist). But, as mentioned, I did enjoy this movie on a base level. The scenic Hawaii locale is nice to look at; and it counters the ambiguity & terror which comes to the main characters later on. Steve Zahn brings his goofy/hyper side to nice, nerdy Cliff. Milla Jovovich shows an aptitude for stellar comedic timing. Timothy Olyphant (someone I've not cared for in the past) gives a spirited, off-the-wall performance as Nick. And Kiele Sanchez is both sexy, & sweet. But is she a killer? I won't tell.