"A Perfect Getaway" is a whodunit murder mystery, set in Hawaii, based on a clever mind game that plays with the prejudices of its audience (including myself). It does this so well that you will probably not figure out who the killers are until you are two-thirds into the movie. I was tricked because although I knew something deep and sinister was going to happen, I had no idea what the twists were. What is more, I could not dismiss this mind trick by saying that the film was arbitrary and the facts could prove that any two characters were the murderers. In fact, the evidence could only point one way. The problem was that I did not attach significance to certain events because my own prejudice made me think that another couple were responsible for the rash of murders.
That is the achievement of this film. But "A Perfect Getaway" does have a few weaknesses. The chases, the violence and the "look behind you" scenes were generic and could be found in any Hollywood action film or thriller whose goal is to get by on cheap thrills. It surprises me how the film director, the producers and the screenwriters could make a movie with an intelligent set-up, a pretty smart plot, only to lose their nerve and go for a tacky ending. There was also a very silly scene in the end with four medical students who decided to believe the murderer's story over the story of the woman whose leg had been stabbed. Perhaps, it is a cultural thing. But I suspect that if this film was being madein Europe, the medical students would have been depicted as far more intelligent than they are in this film.
But those weaknesses are in the last twenty minutes and this movie lasts for more than 1 hour and 30 minutes. So overall, there are enough good things in this film to recommend the picture and give it 7 to 7.5 out of 10. I also want to point out that Milla Jovovich, on this rare occasion, gave a good performance as Cydney Anderson. I actually believed in her performance. Steven Zahn was interesting as Cliff Anderson. But my favorite performance in this movie was Timophy Oliphant as Nick who seems easy going, laid back and decent, but who has this crazy energy and seems to harbor demons that occasionally come to the surface. Kiele Sanchez also does a good job playing Nick's love interest, Gina.
That is the achievement of this film. But "A Perfect Getaway" does have a few weaknesses. The chases, the violence and the "look behind you" scenes were generic and could be found in any Hollywood action film or thriller whose goal is to get by on cheap thrills. It surprises me how the film director, the producers and the screenwriters could make a movie with an intelligent set-up, a pretty smart plot, only to lose their nerve and go for a tacky ending. There was also a very silly scene in the end with four medical students who decided to believe the murderer's story over the story of the woman whose leg had been stabbed. Perhaps, it is a cultural thing. But I suspect that if this film was being madein Europe, the medical students would have been depicted as far more intelligent than they are in this film.
But those weaknesses are in the last twenty minutes and this movie lasts for more than 1 hour and 30 minutes. So overall, there are enough good things in this film to recommend the picture and give it 7 to 7.5 out of 10. I also want to point out that Milla Jovovich, on this rare occasion, gave a good performance as Cydney Anderson. I actually believed in her performance. Steven Zahn was interesting as Cliff Anderson. But my favorite performance in this movie was Timophy Oliphant as Nick who seems easy going, laid back and decent, but who has this crazy energy and seems to harbor demons that occasionally come to the surface. Kiele Sanchez also does a good job playing Nick's love interest, Gina.