Honeymoon

Wenn jeder Low-Budget-Film so aussehen würde, wäre die Welt des unabhängigen Horrorfilms ein viel angenehmerer Ort. Honeymoon ist ein schön gedrehter "Indie", der mit einer Hütte, einem Wald, einem See und einem Schauspielerduo (plus einem Nebendarsteller) auskommt. Der Regisseur kann jedoch mit diesen Elementen etwas zaubern. Die anfängliche Romantik außerhalb der Zivilisation verwandelt sich für das junge Paar sehr schnell in ein dichtes Drama, nachdem das junge Mädchen Anzeichen seltsamen Verhaltens zeigt. Welches Übel im Wald lauert, hält der Film jedoch erfolgreich bis zum explosiven Finale geheim, bei dem es auch zu einer kleinen Schandtat kommt. Das Tempo ist zwar langsam, aber teuflisch atmosphärisch. Außerdem angenehm mysteriös. Für mich auf jeden Fall ein Daumen hoch. (70%) (29.09.2014)

A dirty midnight watch that I don’t really know how to rate. Since I sometimes watch similar horrors when I can’t sleep at night to ruin my mood on purpose, all I got left for this movie is a single star. It technically wasn’t that bad and it created an interesting atmosphere, but once the second half of the movie gets going, it’s a mishmash of unanswered questions and something really gross here and there, which is something that can always grind my gears when it comes to otherwise realistic stories. And grind my gears it did… (15.06.2015)

I was fully prepared for the worst, considering the track record of Canadian filmmakers when it comes to horror films. However, my apprehensions were swiftly dispelled with this particular film. Admittedly, the first fifteen minutes had me worried, as it felt like I'd stumbled into a completely different movie – the cooing of the newlywed couple was slightly grating on my nerves. Yet, just as I was about to give up hope, the atmosphere shifted dramatically, pulling me in with its eerie tension. What followed was a Canadian film that relied on minimal action, a sparse cast, and maximum suspense – a refreshing departure from the mindless jump scares and gratuitous gore of typical horror fare. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the experience, completely engrossed in the palpable tension and impressed by the performances of the two relatively unknown actors. Aside from the initial misgivings, I had a fantastic time watching this film. / Lesson learned: Not every hiding place is a safe hiding place, as demonstrated in Schindler's List. (12.11.2023)

A chilling and a surprisingly intense twisted horror indie drama. The director reliably holds the attention of the viewer with a stifling atmosphere and unsettling horror scenes, avoiding a premature reveal of their origin. The actors are likeable and the basic vaginal scene is effective. It’s a bit of a shame that the bland final twist doesn’t bring anything we haven’t seen yet. But it’s not possible to come up with something all the time, right. Overall, satisfied. (25.09.2014)

Damn. I'm so sorry this film doesn't even have a US distributor, because it would have fit nicely into theaters at the same time a comedy of the same title with Jennifer Anniston and Vincent Vaughn was plowing the multiplexes. Honeymoon can ruin your evening quite nicely, in a Cronenbergian kind of way. Again, the B-grade body horror formula frames an ugly breakdown of an individual and a relationship, which works nicely here thanks not only to the skillful dynamic direction, but mainly thanks to the absolutely first-rate Rose Leslie in the lead role. (27.10.2014)