A Perfect Getaway

Milla Jovovich and Steve Zahn play Cydney and Cliff, a pair of loved-up newly-weds who opt for an adventurous honeymoon in a remote part of Hawaii. After they meet a terrified pair of hikers and learn that another couple have been murdered, the holiday turns into a grim fight for survival.

 John Anderson, Washington Post: The scenery, as might be expected, is spectacular. And the sense of impending doom is palpable. As thrillers go, the film is more nerve-wracking than most, and far better acted - the four principals are terrific, particularly Jovovich, who gives a really nuanced performance. As the couples do their psychological dance and the viewer tries to figure out just exactly where in the wide, wide world of steamy tropical paradise this all is going, the spasms of fear multiply exponentially. But while A Perfect Getaway, like The Sixth Sense, recaps itself to indicate to the audience what they may have missed (and when), there seems to be plot holes large enough that one could paddle through them in an outrigger canoe.

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out, New York: A Perfect Getaway spins into a black-and-white flashback during its big reveal, emerging as a much dumber but reasonably entertaining action film, prone to hand stabbings and long-distance human target practice. The aesthetic is closer to a grand finale of Survivor than anything else, and while all the actors do scrappy work, they don’t have much psychology to play with. (Verdict: two stars out of five)

Toby Young, the Times: The director, David Twohy, is a one of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters and the film’s characters are constantly discussing screenplay-writing and relating it to the adventure they're in. No sooner have they broached the topic of "red herrings", for instance, than up one pops. This is one of several postmodern devices that Twohy uses to transform it into a "smart" thriller - the title itself is intended to convey that this is an ideal summer popcorn movie - but it's a little too tricky for its own good. (Verdict: three stars out of five) ·