Genres

Visitors Review

Wuchak 2012-05-21 06:37:18

Great island locations but the story is essentially a...

I've been wanting to catch "A Perfect Getaway" ever since it wasreleased in August 2009 because I'm a sucker for island-adventurestories like "Mysterious Island," "Robinson Crusoe," "Six Days SevenNights" and numerous others (heck, even Gilligan's Island). Well, Ifinally got to catch it on DVD.THE PLOT: Two newlyweds (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) set out toenjoy their honeymoon hiking incredibly scenic Kaua'i, Hawaii.Unfortunately they catch word that a crazy murderous couple is on theloose and they become seriously suspicious of other hikers (TimothyOlyphant and Chris Hemsworth, amongst others). Will they escape theirhoneymoon alive? "A Perfect Getaway" is worthwhile if, like me, you enjoyisland-adventure movies. The film was shot at Kaua'i, Puerto Rico andJamaica (the sea cave sequence) and these locations are spectacular.Also, the character played by Timothy Olyphant and his babe are likableand you can't help but start to root for them as the story progresses.Chris Hemsworth is also impressive as an ultra-grim/laconic badaxxhiker; keep in mind that he's playing Thor in the upcoming 2011 film ofthe same name and in "The Avengers" in 2012 (and he seems perfect forthe role).Everyone knows by now that this is a 'twist' film and consequently thestory takes a jarring turn in the final act. Don't worry, I'm not goingto spoil it for you if you haven't seen it. I recommend seeing "APerfect Getaway" if you like island flicks or films with surprisingplot twists (or both). See if you can figure out the twist before ithappens. (I did and will explain why it was so easy in a moment).Although the film is good for what it is (not great), I'm giving it anoverall mediocre rating of 6/10 Stars or grade 'C+'. Let me share why Ifeel this is nothing more than an okay picture.!!SPOILER ALERT!! Don't read any further unless you've seen the film orwant to know the plot twist!! We discover in the third act that Zahn & Jovovich are the murderers andthat they're actually impostors of a recently murdered newlywed couple.The reason I was able to easily figure this out was that in amurder-twist scenario it's usually the most innocent/vulnerable personswho are guilty (e.g. "Howling V: The Rebirth"). Twist films like thishave now become so common that they're no longer even surprising. Whatwould really be refreshing and 'cutting edge' is if the film simplyplayed it straight, i.e. the people we think are the protagonistsremain the protagonists throughout and the suspicious/evil people gettheir comeuppance ("Cape Fear" is a good example).But why do I give this film a mediocre rating? Because in a way thewhole story is a lie -- the very people we come to care about and rootfor in the first hour end up being despicable criminal scum of thelowest depth (at least Zahn's character anyway) and the suspiciouscharacters that we're led to believe are the murderers end up being theprotagonists we should be caring about. To the film's credit we DO endup caring about Olyphant's character and his girl by the end of thestory.Yes, I realize that in a way the film isn't lying to the viewer at alland that, once Zahn and Jovovich are understood to be the murderers,all their conversations ARE authentic as the impostors/killers but notas the innocent newlyweds, if you know what I mean. It's all a matterof perspective. But, still, this doesn't take away from that fact thatthe viewer has essentially been baited and switched -- the very peoplewe think are the innocent/vulnerable protagonists end up being theguilty/malevolent scum bags. Consequently, the viewer can't help butfeel hoodwinked by the end of the picture.

2012-05-20 22:39:14

Not a real mind-teasing but definitely you won't guess the twist before the end

The movie all in all is not bad at all but not a masterpiece becausedespite the fact that you won't guess the twist beforehand, this isonly because the director misleads in not-a-smart way. I consider theonly thing that stands between you and guessing what will go on is notbut a flaw. When the movie starts taking you in a flash back at the endto explain the why's, keeps only one why without answer. There is thisone scene in the middle of the movie when Zhan and Milla are looking atthe other couple, from their tent, eating the insides of some wildanimal. Zhan, then tells Milla how weird is the couple they are withand therefore he doubts them to be the killers! This is a very big flawthat nothing in the end justifies it. There were no other parties togive the director the alibi to use such a stupid misleading scene. Imean what? the killers are fooling themselves!!!!! Other than thisflaw, the movie is "seeable" and still good (too bad such a mistake hadto exist)

Sulaiman 2012-05-20 03:37:41

Classic Thriller

The movie was overall a really good, old-school thriller, a refreshing change of pace. Tim Olyphant plays a great ex-Marine, and some of the shots captured by the director of Hawaii were really beautiful. Definitely worth watching if you want a throwback thriller.

Cool Dude 2012-05-19 15:02:27

Excellent Thriller.........

I highly recommend this film only if you don't read the spoilers, otherwise, it goes from thriller to drama. I had no clue and saw a short trailer before seeing it. It didn't disappoint. Excellent storyline/screenwriting, excellent acting and directing. And until I saw it, I had no clue that one of my favorite actors, Timothy Olyphant was in it......and he's really good. This is what a thriller is suppose to be about. Suspense, and creating plenty of characters who could be the bad guy. You don't know until about 3/4 of the way into the movie who it is and then the action starts working it's way toward the finale. Interesting to the end, I really recommend this movie. Check out my movie profile to know that I'm a legit poster who has seen tons of movies, and I don't give out "A's" all the time. If someone has told you about this movie, then it will ruin it for you, so don't listen, just go see!!!! Enjoy.

ted00043 2012-05-13 19:41:56

A Very Flawwed Film

Newlywed Hollywood Screenwriter Cliff Anderson and his wife, Cydney,head off to Hawaii for their honey-moon. After obtaining permits theydrive a rented car and encounter hostile hitch-hikers, Cleo and Kale.They subsequently come to find out that police have discovered abrutally murdered couple with their teeth and nails removed. Cliff andCydney then encounter war-vet Nick and his girlfriend, Gina, andtogether the four trek their way towards a popular beach. It will nottake them long to realize that both Nick and Gina are a little odd, butbefore they could decide to separate from them, they find themselvesconfronted by Kale and Cleo, as well as unknown stalkers. TruthfullySteve Zahn & Milla Jovovich Sit Down & Say "These Guys Are The KillersDefinitely Timothy Olyphant & Kiele Sanchez Are The Killers" But TheyWere The Killers Whether That Was To Make Them Suspicious Or It Was AFlaw With The Script I Don't Know But That Is A Flaw. Who Would IRecommend This To Michael Bay, His Fans, Roland Emmerich Fans, EasilyThrilled People, People Who Want To See Milla Jovovich & Kiele SanchezNaked Or Girls Who Want To See Timothy Olyphant Naked (The Last Thing IWant To See Is Timothy Olyphant's Asshole) One Last Thing The KillerLooks Like A Niel Patrck Harris Look Alike.Rating: 2/10P.S The Only Reason I Gave It 2 Is Because This Didn't Spawn 15 SequelsLike Friday The 13th

Brandy 2012-05-13 14:35:21

Had my hopes up...

This movie was veeeeery slow moving. it is about 2 hours long and it takes all of an hour and 45 minutes to get somewhere. I was really looking forward to this movie. BIG disappointment. Even the acting was bad. I will say the ending wasn't what I was expecting, but then again neither was the whole movie.

annrie_1 2012-05-10 14:52:19

OK i guess

this film was OK i would say that it did have a few good twists andturns in it but nothing that was out of the blue. the main characterjust seemed a bit too much for this film as well i mean getting MillaJovovich and Steve Zahn to basically play over the top character isjust not there usual kind of acting;. i have to admit tho did enjoyseeing zahn as a dark character for a change he always seems to playthe idiotic friend or the loser so it was good to see that he couldpull the killer in this film. As for Jovoich i just find myself alwaysseeing her character in the resident evil films, even when she tries toact like a weak girl they always end up giving her a kicking ass sceneas for the plot i did enjoy it and would watch it again there are somedefinite jumpy parts in it. it was a slow film but worth watching.

Handler 2012-05-10 06:34:08

Surprisingly Interesting

I had seen the previews of this movie, and thought it was a typical B movie slasher type deal. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find more of an Alfred Hitchcock surprise style being utilized here. The direction was fairly good. I especially liked the performances of Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez. Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich also put in unique performances different than normal. The movie seems to have holes in it, but looking back after knowing how it ends … things make pretty good sense.Visuals are very nice, waterfalls and basic tropical scenery.Oh yeah, some nice nude scenes too.

2012-05-05 22:18:48

Great Movie

This review is from: A Perfect Getaway (Theatrical/Unrated Director's Cut) (DVD) It was the tyical movie,the ending with a twist that you did not see it coming. To me it was a great movie.A Perfect Getaway (Theatrical/Unrated Director's Cut)

2012-05-05 14:26:35

Suspense Thriller

This review is from: A Perfect Getaway (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) This movie is GREAT very underated movie it was edited very well and the acting and story was great. A sleeper pick and I everyone I suggested this to loved it!

2012-05-05 06:42:07

A Perfect Gift

This review is from: A Perfect Getaway (Theatrical/Unrated Director's Cut) (DVD) I saw this movie in the theater in Lansing, MI when it first came out. Then I went back to Dubai where I was working and learned it was going to be showing at the theater at the Deira City Center. Much to my dismay the release there was canceled. I bought this movie for my Dad and Sister and they thoroughly enjoyed it. It arrived promptly and in excellent condition.

Che 2012-05-05 00:44:27

what a twist ...

The story is a classic mystery with young couples and a gorgeous tropical island setting. I was not planning on seeing it but once I brought it home for a lazy Saturday afternoon of movie watching and it was great. Instead of being a typical slasher flick it was a excellent saga that had us going, "OMG! OMG!" in the last 30 minutes.

wana305 2012-05-02 01:22:36

This Movie was waaayyyy better than expected!!!!

I know I am late in reviewing this move but I just watched it, and itwas really good! Now I've read some of the other comments and the onesthat did not like it... i understand why but you are wrong. I feel badfor the people that saw this in the theaters and could not rewind. Isay that because the first time i watched it, I felt like the othernegative comments; i.e. disturbing character inconsistency, verymisleading in a horrible manner, etc. When the movie was done, I waslike OK why would they talk about the other couple being the killerslike that when they are speaking to each other alone?! thats so stupidand a real bad lazy way to throw the audience off. BUT I went back andlistened to the personal convos again and the beginning of themovie.... and this is when I really enjoyed the movie and realized howpretty sneaky-intelligent it was- this movie made our brain trick us!!!In the beginning, we NEVER saw the couple's faces when they wereshowing the wedding clips, also when they were driving, and talkingabout their fam,you thought OK they are making videos, but really theywere practicing their new identities. when the girl was saying MrsSydney Anderson over and over again, we, the audience, thought OK shejust got married,she's happy and has to get used to her new name, butagain practicing the new identity... then, when they were having theirpersonal convos regarding the other couple, the dialog made our brainsautomatically assume they were talking about the other couple being thekillers and they were scared and wanted to get away.. BUT not once didthey say oh they are the killers and they are going to kills us oranything like that... instead they said things like, "they are theones" (meaning the ones they are gonna take identities from) also"cliff" said something like "the closer we get to the beach the lesspeople will be there so we have to go...."- if they were trying to getaway, why would they want less people to be where they are going?? inthe tent, "sydney" said "we don't have to go threw with this" And thenwhen they were looking at the pic of the killers, at first watch, itlooks like they think it's other couple and she keeps looking back atthem like she is scared.. but when u watch it over, you realize she wasscared that the other couple could have possibly seen that pic andknown. Basically, it was clever twisty dialog. So yes it was misleadingbut in a good smart way. The only thing i wanted more of is why theywere identity snatchers, i mean they only talked about it for a briefsec; a more detailed explanation through a flashback or something wouldhave made this movie even better.

tyler-and-jack 2012-05-01 04:07:16

Paradise loss.

The modern thriller - a tricky thing to get just right, it seems. Onthe one hand you have many movies just aiming to wow you with somelast-minute twist, on the other hand you have the films just rippingoff every other movie the director has seen and hoping you won't notice(as in every Saw derivative ever). Then there are the thrillers thatare just too action-orientated or too gory for those wanting actualthrills and tension.A Perfect Getaway, while not actually being perfect, is one of the bestthrillers I have seen in a long, long time thanks to a smart script anda great cast, blended perfectly by director David Twohy.Screenwriter Cliff (Steve Zahn) and his new wife Cydney (MillaJovovich) are using their honeymoon to hike along a trail in Hawaiiwhen they meet Nick (Timothy Olyphant) and his girlfriend Gina (KieleSanchez). Nick is an ex-military man, a quirky character and full of somany stories that Cliff finds it hard to believe any of them but oncesome passing girls tell the group about the murder of a married coupleon a nearby island suspicion starts to grow and Cliff and Cydney startto look for ways they can get themselves out of danger, if they areactually in danger to start with.Zahn and Jovovich are very good in their roles, as is Kiele Sanchez,but the highest praise must be reserved for Timothy Olyphant. Despitenot knowing if his character is dangerous or not you cannot help butgrow to love the guy and be fantastically entertained by him. It's oneof those performances that deserves to be seen and acclaimed by all,even if it is JUST in a thriller (as some people may look upon it), anddespite delivering consistently sterling work I would argue that thisis the performance of his career. I realise that because his characteris so much fun and so wild at times it may be easy for people todismiss the way Olyphant portrays him so naturally but I stand by myhigh praise.The script is witty, playful and smart as a whip although some peoplemay be put off by a rather lengthy, but necessary, flashback sequencein the latter half of the movie. It may be a bit too "cute" for somepeople but I managed to appreciate the construction of the whole thingand the clever wording of a script that can have you chuckling as muchduring a repeat viewing as it had you musing over things during thefirst viewing.David Twohy has finally shown that he's more than just the man behindthe Riddick mythos (although I have to add that I also enjoyed Below,his haunted sub movie) and that he's able to really give audiences theperfect accompaniment to a big bucket o' popcorn.See this if you like: Kalifornia, Mr Brooks, Mister Frost.

brocksilvey 2012-04-26 05:22:53

The Rare Recent Thriller That Focuses on Being Exciting Rather Than Nasty

A slick and surprisingly satisfying suspense thriller about a couplehoneymooning in Hawaii whose trip takes a turn for the worse when thestory breaks that a pair of serial killers are stalking other marriedcouples. They meet up with another pair of hiking young lovers anddecide to stick close, thinking that there's strength in numbers. Butwe (the audience) knows that in a film like this, which used its plottwist heavily as a marketing ploy, things aren't what they seem, andthat there's an awfully good chance that the killers are among thisgroup of four.The twist isn't going to blow your mind. I called it half way throughthe movie. But the film doesn't rely as much on its surprise as itsadvertising would have you believe. Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovicharen't especially believable in the roles they're asked to play, thoughboth are game enough, and Zahn does pretty well with at least one halfof his performance. Timothy Olyphant plays a hard-bodied ex-special opsserviceman with a metal plate in his head, and he acts so crazy youknow he can't possibly be the crazy one. It's to the film's and theactors' credit that once I sorted out who was who and who I should berooting for, I found myself very much caring about the outcome for ourheroes.The film aims for exciting rather than nasty, and it succeeds.Grade: B+

2012-04-26 02:17:11

outstanding

This review is from: A Perfect Getaway (Unrated Director's Cut) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) ok, so it's not the BEST movie and until a friend recomended it i never even heard of it. my friend is infatuated with Timmothy Olyphant. it was a lttle on the predictable side and way to formulaic for me. the acting is not great, the script leaves a lot to be desired. there are just better Olyphant titles out there that are better....such as Justified

MACPRINCESS89 2012-04-24 20:03:08

horrifing

how dose movies like this end up in box office???? thay should start a program where if ur not satisfied u get a free movie or money back thats how bad this s**** of a movie is

djderka 2012-04-24 09:11:05

Vacation thriller scares you straight

Vacationers in paradise, Hawaii, have to come to grips with a killer inthe mists. And frankly, on vacation you really don't know who to trust.I wondered how could someone make a sunny day thriller. Now I know howto do it. Director Twohy pulls off a great sunny day thriller that we could alleasily find ourselves in. Hiking in the lush vegetation is much moreisolating than you would expect.I have seen a lot of these type of thrillers, usually in old ships, oldwarehouses, abandoned asylums, old government bases, outer space and onand on. They rely on dark spaces, and doorways to scare you.But this delightful thriller operates in BROAD DAYLIGHT and inparadise. So no "scary" doors, boiler rooms, old cars, abandoned darkstreets and buildings, and other dark images to conjure up"scarceness". That means the scariness is in the characters/plot andobservance of details. Details that can kill.The marvelous characters in this thriller will occupy your fears for along time.Really great casting with Olyphant and Zahn as mutual protagonists addto the zest and great construction of the movie.Seemingly slow at first, the plot builds in a quickening pace.Character performances were nicely nuanced to provide you with menacingqualities.The plot does require some thought process which is a rare find inthrillers. This is not Freddy with a knife and so predictable.The menacing here is in your mind and what are real or imaginedthreats. It is now on my to buy list.

jsurisdds 2012-04-23 03:38:24

Good thriller. Keeps you guessing.

This is a good movie. However, it will probably not get a fair shot bymost. The reason is the way the story is structured in which apparentlynothing happens in the first 45 minutes. For today's average 18-34audience this is almost intolerable as they are now conditioned toexpect cheap CGI thrills and impossibly huge explosions in the firsttwo minutes of the film (not necessarily a bad thing BTW). Whatunderrated Director/Writer David Towhy is doing is actually puttingyour brain to work during the first two acts of the movie, all thewhile enjoying some incredible visuals of the Hawaiian tropical rainforest. Towhy concentrates on subtle character development. The actingis good. Mila Jovovich and Timothy Oliphant are the two that carry thefilm throughout. All in all I have to say that Towhy put out a fairlyplausible story here with none of the CGI generated hyperbole that wesee so much of nowadays.

Joy W 2012-04-22 17:35:00

GO SEE THIS MOVIE

It's not getting enough attention, it's a good movie. I bet you won't guess the end. Go see it, it's worth it.