A Perfect Getaway DVD: Review By B. Alan Orange

Director David Twohy has had a rough go of it over the course of his career. He makes fairly decent genre movies that don't get enough attention. He's responsible for the great submarine movie Below as well as both Riddick films. His latest, A Perfect Getaway, was released into theaters for a short moment this past summer, and it was met with generally bad reviews. After watching the film, I'm not sure why it didn't generate more attention. It's a great caper with plenty of worthwhile twists and turns. Shot on location in Hawaii, the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. And the four main leads make for a fun watch. It's a Hitchc*ckian thriller that may seem a little dated, but that's part of its charm. Written by Twohy, the auteur tells you everything you need to know from the get go. He even goes out of the way to have an on-screen red herring describe the importance of red herrings when plotting a story such as this. Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich play newlyweds vacationing on the island of Kaua'i. While attempting a three-day hike, they discover that another newly wed couple has been murdered in Honolulu. With the killers reported to be in the nearby area, Cliff (Zahn) and his wife Cydney (Jovovich) team up with another couple to stay safe while camping. Timothy Olyphant and Kiele Sanchez are our couple's new found friends, a pair of free spirits who may or may not be telling the truth about who they really are. There's also another couple following them on the trail, angry that Cliff refused them a ride to the camping spot. Twohy throws in a lot of misdirection, and before long you're going crazy trying to figure out who may or may not be responsible for the gruesome deaths back on the main land. Zahn plays creepy nerd with a soothing coolness that gets under your skin and makes you itch. While Olyphant is perfect as an ex-Marine that proves very hard to kill. Part of the fun is playing this guessing game between them. What is going on? And who are the killers? If you pay close attention to the opening credits, everything is given away there. The big reveal comes unexpectedly early. Which does a great service to the rest of the film, because we know whom we want too root for, whether they be good or bad. The end sets itself up for a sequel. One we won't likely see unless this is a hit on DVD. I quite enjoyed A Perfect Getaway. It's the perfect film for a lonely, rainy Saturday night in the middle of a rather cold January. The title doesn't lie. It truly is the Perfect Getaway.

As is usually the case, Twohy again gets shafted when it comes to special features. There are none here. We do get an Unrated cut of the film. Its ten minutes longer than what was released theatrically. There is no extra gore. The missing moments pretty much revolve around Olyphant shooting a wild animal so they can eat it for dinner. There are clues in this scene that willingly set up who the real killers are. It may have been cut to let the suspense build for a few extra moments. Its not needed. But it doesn't usurp the pace of the film, either.

This film is a gorgeous postcard with beautiful people running through it. It is being presented in its anamorphic theatrical widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1. In color. The rated version runs one hour and thirty-eight minutes. The unrated version is one hour and forty-eight minutes. It has been rated R for graphic violence, language, and drug use. There are no scenes of torture, if that's what you're thinking. This is an old school thriller. And delivers on that account.

The film is presented in English, French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitles are also in English, French, and Spanish.

This DVD cover sucks. We get four concerned headshots, all starring at something different. The scenery is greasy, in no way capturing the beautiful scenescapes that litter the film. It looks boring. And comes across as another torture porn offshoot. It looks like Turistas 2, when in actuality it has very little to do with that horrible horror film. The back cover doesn't do this release any favors either. Kiele Sanchez is startling a dirt mound in pain. She is filthy, and I can't really tell her apart from Milla at this angle. There is some gunplay. And a video camera. Nothing about this keep case relays the awesomeness found inside. I would leave this one on the shelf.

I didn't want to see A Perfect Getaway because it sounded lame and garnered some harsh reviews. I'm really glad I gave it a shot. This is a thoroughly engrossing thriller with some truly captivating scenery and a gorgeous, talented cast. I dig it, and so will you if you give it half a change. You might want to rent it first, but you'll probably want to own it if you're a fan of Olyphant, Twohy, or Hitchc*ckian thrillers in general.