Honeymoon
Horror film has unique premise, some edgy content.
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Honeymoon
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Honeymoon is a low-budget horror film that has a long, slow buildup before anything gruesome or gory is shown, but it does end up having a fair bit blood and disturbing imagery (a woman stabs herself in the crotch area). The main characters -- a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoon -- have sex on several occasions; one takes place in the shower, and a side view of the naked characters, pressed together, is shown. Language is fairly strong, with multiple uses of "f--k."
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What's the Story?
Bea (Rose Leslie) and Paul (Harry Treadaway) are newlyweds, fresh from a wedding that mirrors their courtship. As they start their lives together, they embark on a honeymoon to Bea's family cabin in the woods. At first things are blissful. Then one evening they head to a local restaurant, where two of the locals are acting strangely. Later, Paul finds Bea standing in the middle of the woods at night, apparently having sleepwalked. After that, she starts acting strangely, forgetting things, and generally not seeming like herself. Paul grows more and more alarmed and eventually decides to leave. But it may be too late.
Is It Any Good?
HONEYMOON opens with some wedding video testimonials, and it looks like it's going to be yet another in the now oh-so-tired "found footage" subgenre, but thankfully Janiak has more in mind. Bea and Paul are annoyingly perky and cluelessly hopeful as the movie starts ... and also, it turns out, woefully unprepared to deal with anything resembling a real problem. (A discussion about the use of the word "womb" is the first sticking point.)
The characters can be annoying, but it appears that they might have been designed that way on purpose, as a way of illustrating the primal nature of male-female relationships. (What's missing in today's cute couple culture?) Janiak keeps switching things up, and nothing leads quite where you think it will. Moreover, her low-budget setting generates scares out of simple ideas. Who knew that burnt toast could send a chill up the spine?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Honeymoon's violence. When do viewers see the first really violent image? How does the movie build up to it? What's the ultimate effect? In general, what's scarier in movies -- the things you do see, or the things you don't?
How scary is the movie? What makes it different from other horror movies?
How does the movie play with your expectations? What did you expect to happen versus what actually happened?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 12, 2014
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2015
- Cast: Harry Treadaway, Rose Leslie, Ben Huber
- Director: Leigh Janiak
- Studio: Magnet Releasing
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 87 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: disturbing bloody images, sexual content and language
- Last updated: March 2, 2023
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