As a 30+ year fan of horror films of all stripes, I don't quite get what some reviewers don't quite get about Honeymoon.
I wanted to catch the film when it was featured at the 2014 FantAsia Festival but couldn't make either of the two well-received screenings, but at long last saw it recently and was not let down by the positive buzz I had read. This is a film that crafts its central two characters well and evolves at a deliberate pace that makes the payoff pack an unsettling punch that will stick with you long after the credits roll. There is smart foreshadowing at play throughout that inattentive viewers may miss, but for those who pay attention, this is a doubly-rewarding watch.
The first act introduces newlywed couple Paul and Bea, Brooklyn free spirit-types who head out for an affordable honeymoon at Bea's family cabin somewhere across the Canadian border in late spring, when the weather is still transitioning and tourist season has yet to pick up at the lake where they're staying. The pair enjoys wedded bliss for a day or two, but a bright beam of light shining into their window as they're sleeping one night reveals something unusual is afoot... The next day, they encounter a former childhood friend (and possible flame) of Bea's at a nearby restaurant he is attempting to open for the season. Clearly distraught about something, the friend's countenance softens when he recognizes Bea, but he then quickly sends her and Paul on their way when his pale-skinned, raccoon-eyed wife emerges from the shadows. Though Paul teases Bea initially about her past with Will, that all changes after she disappears in the middle of a following night, only to be found by a panicked Paul standing naked, trance-like, in the woods a short ways off from their cabin. Back indoors she insists she's fine, but clearly something is off. As her behavior and mental function grows increasingly erratic, Paul does his best to find answers to what, exactly, has happened to his wife...
Honeymoon is not about gore effects (though it does have one memorable sequence in that regard) or jump scares, but it is a very well-written film with a heavy sense of foreboding that does a great slow-burn en route to its climax. Both characters are real and fully realized, and despite being faced with an incomparable situation, Paul behaves in a completely believable manner - in fact, he may be one of the few protagonists in recent horror film memory where it's tough to second-guess his decision making at any stage. Remember that feeling you had when you discover alongside Wendy what Jack's been typing in The Shining? You'll enjoy a very similar shiver at one point through Paul's eyes here. I can appreciate that when the "why" behind what is happening comes to light, some viewers may feel the film takes an unjustifiable turn, but I don't have an issue with it - saying more would steer into spoiler territory, and I think with a film as original as this, you are better off simply giving it a chance and deciding for yourself.
For my money, Honeymoon is one of the better horror films of the current decade, irrespective of budget.
I wanted to catch the film when it was featured at the 2014 FantAsia Festival but couldn't make either of the two well-received screenings, but at long last saw it recently and was not let down by the positive buzz I had read. This is a film that crafts its central two characters well and evolves at a deliberate pace that makes the payoff pack an unsettling punch that will stick with you long after the credits roll. There is smart foreshadowing at play throughout that inattentive viewers may miss, but for those who pay attention, this is a doubly-rewarding watch.
The first act introduces newlywed couple Paul and Bea, Brooklyn free spirit-types who head out for an affordable honeymoon at Bea's family cabin somewhere across the Canadian border in late spring, when the weather is still transitioning and tourist season has yet to pick up at the lake where they're staying. The pair enjoys wedded bliss for a day or two, but a bright beam of light shining into their window as they're sleeping one night reveals something unusual is afoot... The next day, they encounter a former childhood friend (and possible flame) of Bea's at a nearby restaurant he is attempting to open for the season. Clearly distraught about something, the friend's countenance softens when he recognizes Bea, but he then quickly sends her and Paul on their way when his pale-skinned, raccoon-eyed wife emerges from the shadows. Though Paul teases Bea initially about her past with Will, that all changes after she disappears in the middle of a following night, only to be found by a panicked Paul standing naked, trance-like, in the woods a short ways off from their cabin. Back indoors she insists she's fine, but clearly something is off. As her behavior and mental function grows increasingly erratic, Paul does his best to find answers to what, exactly, has happened to his wife...
Honeymoon is not about gore effects (though it does have one memorable sequence in that regard) or jump scares, but it is a very well-written film with a heavy sense of foreboding that does a great slow-burn en route to its climax. Both characters are real and fully realized, and despite being faced with an incomparable situation, Paul behaves in a completely believable manner - in fact, he may be one of the few protagonists in recent horror film memory where it's tough to second-guess his decision making at any stage. Remember that feeling you had when you discover alongside Wendy what Jack's been typing in The Shining? You'll enjoy a very similar shiver at one point through Paul's eyes here. I can appreciate that when the "why" behind what is happening comes to light, some viewers may feel the film takes an unjustifiable turn, but I don't have an issue with it - saying more would steer into spoiler territory, and I think with a film as original as this, you are better off simply giving it a chance and deciding for yourself.
For my money, Honeymoon is one of the better horror films of the current decade, irrespective of budget.
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