"Before i was alone, now i'm not"
-Bea
Honeymoon is getting released this week in the U.S and it's name sounded awfully familiar. So i went and checked it out and found out that this had premiered in Sundance earlier this year and that was probably why it rang a bell. The film has been nicely received by those who have seen it and even though it was a horror film (which is far from being my favorite genre) i decided to go in blind and give it a shot.
Honeymoon is Directed by Leigh Janiak and it stars Rose Leslie, Harry Treadaway, Ben Huber and Hanna Brown. "Young newlyweds Paul and Bea travel to remote lake country for their honeymoon. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods."
Well although i went into this picture with no expectations and just hoping i would not be wasting my time, i still have to say that i'm a little bit disappointed because there was a time during this picture where i thought i would like it much better than i ultimately did.
I'm not a fan of the horror genre, it's my least favorite genre, i just don't get my kicks from getting scared. I do regard higher horror films that put suspense and tension over gore and the actual scares. To me the build up is what i find to be more intense and ultimately satisfying in horror films. I went into this one, not really knowing which of the two this would be like and fortunately and unfortunately it is a mix of the both.
Honeymoon follows a recently married couple, Paul and Bea who are young, happy and their relationship is sparkling with energy and there's a sense that love's in the air. They decide to go on their honeymoon to a cabin in the woods. I know (-.-) i thought myself that too, but don't start rolling your eyes out just yet.
In first act we basically follow around the couple that's clearly in love. That first act is not particularly exciting but it works on establishing the characters that it presents. Leigh Janiak the Director and Writer, smartly takes its time for us to get to know the characters and it does it so successfully.
In the second act (the best), things start to get a little bit interesting as some sort of light calls Bea during the night to the woods. Paul finally finds her creepily naked and clearly disturbed. As something happened to Bea? The fact is that from now on Bea starts to act a little bit odd. She has some sort of bite in her leg and she seems to have lost part of her memory. These are the best moments of the film, as we wonder what the f*ck happened to Bea in the woods. What the f*ck happened to Bea in the woods? Is she even Bea? If she's not Bea then what are her intentions when it comes to Paul? These are unanswered questions that rolled through my head. The film does with these questions and with some fine acting and direction ultimately build a lot of palpable tension and intensity. I was surprisingly really into it, intrigued and having much more fun than what i initially expected.
Then everything kind of collapses on a third act that gives too much away and trades the surprisingly effective suspense and apprehension with ineffective and awkward scenes of gore. Honeymoon felt much more of an impressive effort while i didn't know its complete premise. It ends up falling into a climax that just didn't move me in any way. I wasn't grossed out nor was i scared, i guess i was just disappointed. The ending does try to run from plot conventions but it ultimately just felt unmemorable, ineffective, familiar and even a bit dull. A sad ending for a picture i was having quite a lot of fun with.
The movie basically just stars two actors Rose Leslie Harry Treadaway who play Bea and Paul. They do a decent job here, most of the picture relays on their performances and they ultimately do deliver. They had to have a convincing chemistry between the two, without that the film would have just sunk but fortunately they are great together and they carry the film through its dramatic sequences.
Honeymoon could have been a quite an impressive horror film but unfortunately it ultimately settles up being just a decent one. It's a little bit of a frustrating experience as it is a nicely crafted little picture, with smart direction and performances. It even is quite intense and exciting at times but in the end downfalls with a third act that feels awkward and out of place because it trades those with gore and not so great writing.
Rating: C+
-Bea
Honeymoon is getting released this week in the U.S and it's name sounded awfully familiar. So i went and checked it out and found out that this had premiered in Sundance earlier this year and that was probably why it rang a bell. The film has been nicely received by those who have seen it and even though it was a horror film (which is far from being my favorite genre) i decided to go in blind and give it a shot.
Honeymoon is Directed by Leigh Janiak and it stars Rose Leslie, Harry Treadaway, Ben Huber and Hanna Brown. "Young newlyweds Paul and Bea travel to remote lake country for their honeymoon. Shortly after arriving, Paul finds Bea wandering and disoriented in the middle of the night. As she becomes more distant and her behavior increasingly peculiar, Paul begins to suspect something more sinister than sleepwalking took place in the woods."
Well although i went into this picture with no expectations and just hoping i would not be wasting my time, i still have to say that i'm a little bit disappointed because there was a time during this picture where i thought i would like it much better than i ultimately did.
I'm not a fan of the horror genre, it's my least favorite genre, i just don't get my kicks from getting scared. I do regard higher horror films that put suspense and tension over gore and the actual scares. To me the build up is what i find to be more intense and ultimately satisfying in horror films. I went into this one, not really knowing which of the two this would be like and fortunately and unfortunately it is a mix of the both.
Honeymoon follows a recently married couple, Paul and Bea who are young, happy and their relationship is sparkling with energy and there's a sense that love's in the air. They decide to go on their honeymoon to a cabin in the woods. I know (-.-) i thought myself that too, but don't start rolling your eyes out just yet.
In first act we basically follow around the couple that's clearly in love. That first act is not particularly exciting but it works on establishing the characters that it presents. Leigh Janiak the Director and Writer, smartly takes its time for us to get to know the characters and it does it so successfully.
In the second act (the best), things start to get a little bit interesting as some sort of light calls Bea during the night to the woods. Paul finally finds her creepily naked and clearly disturbed. As something happened to Bea? The fact is that from now on Bea starts to act a little bit odd. She has some sort of bite in her leg and she seems to have lost part of her memory. These are the best moments of the film, as we wonder what the f*ck happened to Bea in the woods. What the f*ck happened to Bea in the woods? Is she even Bea? If she's not Bea then what are her intentions when it comes to Paul? These are unanswered questions that rolled through my head. The film does with these questions and with some fine acting and direction ultimately build a lot of palpable tension and intensity. I was surprisingly really into it, intrigued and having much more fun than what i initially expected.
Then everything kind of collapses on a third act that gives too much away and trades the surprisingly effective suspense and apprehension with ineffective and awkward scenes of gore. Honeymoon felt much more of an impressive effort while i didn't know its complete premise. It ends up falling into a climax that just didn't move me in any way. I wasn't grossed out nor was i scared, i guess i was just disappointed. The ending does try to run from plot conventions but it ultimately just felt unmemorable, ineffective, familiar and even a bit dull. A sad ending for a picture i was having quite a lot of fun with.
The movie basically just stars two actors Rose Leslie Harry Treadaway who play Bea and Paul. They do a decent job here, most of the picture relays on their performances and they ultimately do deliver. They had to have a convincing chemistry between the two, without that the film would have just sunk but fortunately they are great together and they carry the film through its dramatic sequences.
Honeymoon could have been a quite an impressive horror film but unfortunately it ultimately settles up being just a decent one. It's a little bit of a frustrating experience as it is a nicely crafted little picture, with smart direction and performances. It even is quite intense and exciting at times but in the end downfalls with a third act that feels awkward and out of place because it trades those with gore and not so great writing.
Rating: C+
