Plot: What’s it about?
During their honeymoon, Paul (Harry Treadaway) begins to notice that his wife Bea (Rose Leslie) starts acting strange one night. She wanders off into the woods and comes back almost an entirely different person. We are wondering right along with Paul as it certainly is strange how Bea is acting. We see some early footage at their wedding and early on in the film the two seem to be more than happy. Paul and Bea are the movie’s two main characters and they dominate nearly every scene. There really aren’t many other characters save for an old friend of Bea’s who himself acts more than a little strange. We see his wife also acting strange and Bea even develops some of her traits later in the film as well. Paul even thinks that this might have something to do with how Bea is behaving. This is pretty much how the rest of the film plays out; Paul is trying desperately to pinpoint exactly what it is that’s happened to Bea.
Admittedly, I had no clue where the film was headed, and I do think the climax leaves a lot to be desired. It’s hard to say exactly why without giving away spoilers, but I just wanted something more, maybe more explanation that what we’re given. That quibble aside, Honeymoon is well worth checking out and does a good job of cloaking the secret in mystery until the final moments. One moment became a bit too gross for my liking, but I cared about the two characters and was interested in how things would play out. I think it helps that the actors have such a natural, easy chemistry. It not only makes us care more about them, but I also wanted them to go back to the way they were at the beginning of the film. I’d definitely recommend checking out this film. It might not be the most frightening film I’ve ever seen, but it has an uneasy feeling throughout and it kept me guessing as to what exactly was happening to Bea.
Video: How’s it look?
The transfer is first-rate throughout. There are early scenes with the couple out on the lake and the details are flawless. Background shots of the woodsy atmosphere display sharp qualities consistently. The print showed no noticeable flaws either. It’s a very rewarding transfer that accompanies the film well. The image is AVC encoded with a 1.85:1 ratio.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD track is also satisfying. The effects really come through, letting all channels stay active and involve us. The score does a good job of adding to the experience as well. Vocals were sharp and clear throughout as well. Bass kicks in on several occasions as well. This track will please fans.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Interview with Director Leigh Janiak – This is a surprisingly good chat with the Director as she provides some solid info. We learn a little bit about what got her into wanting to make her first feature as well as other useful notes. It’s worth checking out.
- Interview with Actors Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway – Another good chat that discusses how the actors approached their respective roles and other tidbits.
- The Worm Behind the Scenes – This is just raw footage of a challenging scene for Leslie.
- Canoe Behind the Scenes – A very brief look at the stunts during a water scene.
- AXS TV: A Look at Honeymoon – Basically, an extended trailer. These are useless.
- Trailers – These include a few trailers for the film as well as other trailers from Magnolia studios.
