Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
For their honeymoon, newlyweds Cliff and Cydney head to the tropical islands of Hawaii. While journeying through the paradisaical countryside the couple encounters Kale and Cleo, two disgruntled hitchhikers and Nick and Gina, two wild but well-meaning spirits who help guide them through the lush jungles. The picturesque waterfalls and scenic mountainsides quickly give way to terror when Cliff and Cydney learn of a grisly murder that occurred nearby and realize that they're being followed by chance acquaintances that suspiciously fit the description of the killers.
A Perfect Getaway is a solid mid-tier thriller elevated significantly by its third-act twist, which genuinely recontextualizes the entire film and earns a well-above-average Ending score. The Hawaiian cinematography is scenic but functional rather than artistically distinguished. The acting is competent with Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich doing capable work, though no one is exceptional. The plot follows familiar whodunit thriller conventions for most of its runtime, and while the twist is clever, the setup leans on genre tropes. Novelty sits at average — it's a well-executed genre piece but not a distinctive or singular cinematic vision.