Cinemasochists Review: Honeymoon (2014)

Honeymoon (2014)

Establishing a relationship is hard. Keeping it is even harder. Getting married and committing to said relationship can seem almost impossible. This concept is essentially the basis for Honeymoon, a 2014 horror film by first time film maker Leigh Janiak.

A newlywed couple retreat to a cabin in the woods for some much needed post wedding relaxation and of course, sex. The pair of actors (Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway) are convincing in their total attention and love to one another, as the first 15 minutes are mostly them making or trying to make love and not in your typical horror exploitive kind of way. There's a warmth and comfortability with each other that really helps the set up. On the second night, Paul (Treadaway) discovers Bea (Leslie) sleepwalking in the woods and as the next few days go on, both her health and Paul's sanity slowly start to unravel.

I won't say what happens, but I will say that it is satisfying, terrifying and sometimes a bit disgusting. What I appreciated the most is that the subtext has a very simple idea planted into the viewers head that is harder to shake off than what actually happens in the film. The fear of not knowing the person you love. The fear that, after committal, things can go awry. Should you have asked this? Should you have done that? Questions going through your head over and over as your 'better half' starts to 'turn' into something he or she is not. In the film, the situation is from the male's POV, but this theme can carry into either sex, as paranoia and confusion is something everyone in a relationship, especially a new one, goes through.

A good horror movie takes it's scares from real situations and covers it up nicely with an out of this world set up. Honeymoon does just that. The (mostly) fun reveal is not entirely what Honeymoon is about. It's about the REAL fear of not knowing the person you claim to know the best. This is simple, micro budget horror story telling at it's best.

You can stream it Netflix, or rent on any VOD outlet.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3177316/combined

- Sean