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I watched this movie blank with no knowledge of who or what, and when I saw the opening credits I assumed that Timothy Olyphant would portray the bad guy. Well he might or might not be, the movie toys with what people are expecting and did so with me. Unfortunately it did it in such an obvious way I mentioned to someone next to me that it would be funny if… I’m not going to say what as it turns out that I was right and would spoil this movie for you.
I felt kind of cheated as the movie constantly gives us scenes in which the bad guys are talking to each other which makes you conclude they’re everything but the bad guys. When the movie was over all those scenes did not make very much sense. It’s one of those movies in which the twist is more important than the plausibility.
The movie is about a just-married couple going on vacation to Hawaii where there’s news about another set of newlyweds having been brutally killed and the killers are still on the loose. This couple, consisting of Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich, has run-ins with several people on Hawaii and is not sure if they’re the next victims as the couple’s they encouter could very well be the killers.
The movie never grabbed me by the throat and even though it has recognizable names in the cast it does feel like a straight-to-video movie. It felt like a cheap thriller like a movie like Consequence or Three (aka Survival Island) only without the big breasts. This movie could have used them only if it’s to spice things up a bit, because the first hour is a bit of a drag as nothing much happens other than some red herrings (or snappers) are thrown at us to set us on the wrong foot. The acting is OK and Steve Zahn shows again that he’s capable of more than just appearing in weak comedies. The other cast-members fill their roles only they’re mostly typecast. Like I mentioned earlier: at the sight of Timothy Olyphant you will immediately point him out as the bad guy. The last half hour the movie goes from a thriller to a chase-movie and it’s one of those generic scenes where the victim is being chased and just keeps on running until the bad guy catches up. Except for the big twist, that won;t be a surprise to everybody, the movie is been-there, done-that all over.
It’s a mediocre movie which suitable for those rainy sunday afternoons or those evenings when everything you see on television is a re-run. Don’t expect much of it though.
