A Perfect Getaway (Rogue Pictures)
Better Than It Ought To Be
Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez star in the new thriller A Perfect Getaway. This cast manages to make this ordinary little movie much, much better than it should be. As four enigmatic characters they build the suspense in a film that has fear built into its premise
Newlyweds Cliff and Cydney (Zahn and Jovovich) are honeymooning in Hawaii. He is a screenwriter and she is a woman who is content just being Cliffs wife. As part of their honeymoon adventure they go on a hike through the back country of one of the islands. There they encounter Kale and Cleo (Chris Hemsworth and Marley Shelton), another couple out for adventure.
The chills begin when they meet this other couple because the audience has been let in on the fact a honeymooning couple has been murdered in Hawaii. It is said they were killed by a man and a woman. When Cliff and Cydney learn of the murder they try to put this couple behind them.
But then they run into another couple. Gina and Nick (Sanchez and Olyphant) are also on an adventure in the islands. These two couples do join together for a hike to a famous beach. Of course now the audience has another couple to suspect. The question is which one is the red herring and which one is the true murderers.
Zahn is basically playing Clark Kent in this movie. He is mild mannered and calm to the extreme. Jovovich is puppy dog like in her need to be loved. Olyphant plays a former special ops guy who knows his way around a knife and a bow and arrow. He struts his macho self around trying to be impressive. Sanchez plays a woman who also can survive on her own.
Keep your eye on Hemsworth. He is the actor who has been chosen to play Thor in that upcoming film, and he was also James Kirks father in Star Trek this past summer. Mr. Hemsworth has quite a career ahead of him.
The movie is rated R for profanity, violence and nudity.
A Perfect Getaway is a thriller that sets up clues to its ending all along the path of the movie. It is also a film that might deserve a second viewing after you have digested all that has happened in the film.
The writing in this movie is subtle and the acting is intriguing. Combined they make this innocuous little movie into something that is really enjoyable to watch. Go see it and you will be surprised how much fun it is. It is one of the best surprises of the summer.
I scored A Perfect Getaway an aloha 6 out of 10.
