Honeymoon

As a film student’s thesis work, Honeymoon would probably be at the head of the class. As a “grown-up” mysterious horror movie, however, it doesn’t offer anything that we wouldn’t see elsewhere in a technically more professional and directorially more inventive rendering. The gradual psychological alienation of the central duo after a mysterious event works and entertains, but the unimaginative work with genre clichés and the only somewhat surprising point leave behind an impression of disappointment. It would have been better suited to an episode of The X-Files in the nineties. (13/08/2024)

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)

Quite a pleasant surprise. Honeymoon definitely boasts three attributes, namely atmosphere, unpredictability and a decent original premise. The closer the film got to the end, the more attractive I found it, as the atmosphere in the last half hour was very dense. Atmospheric, dark, mysterious and magical. A recommendation worthy affair. 70%. (13/09/2014)

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)

Honeymoon was a very pleasant surprise for me, and although towards the end it may seem a bit overdone, I really liked the originality of its concept and conclusion. Once again, it shows that even with a few people, you can make a film that is suspenseful, horror-filled, and at times genuinely terrifying. Janiak doesn't shy away from gore, but presents it in a way that is generally tolerable. Except for one really gruesome scene at the end, which is extremely important though. (18/11/2014)