A Perfect Getaway 2009

Ben Lyons, At the Movies: A terrific twist, but goes wasted in a movie that really runs out of steam. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: A Perfect Getaway is a little better -- well, a little stranger -- than most of the disposables this summer. Read more

Scott Von Doviak, Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com: Doesn't want to be anything more than a ninety-minute thrill ride, and unlike most of the bloated blockbusters of late, it succeeds on its own terms. Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: [Director] Twohy eventually paints himself into a corner with an explanation that's fatally far-fetched. By the end, you're convinced he'll try anything, no matter how illogical, to hold the audience's attention. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: Even if you know what's coming, it's a neat bit of meta-thriller filmmaking, as much about the mechanics of storytelling as a reasonably satisfying example of it. Read more

Randy Cordova, Arizona Republic: Fast and twisty, A Perfect Getaway is an economical little thriller that pretty much accomplishes everything it sets out to do. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: A Perfect Getaway is proof that a dumb idea can be brought to life, however briefly, by smart people, and writer-director David Twohy is nothing if not clever. Read more

Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times: Twohy correctly banks on the fact that his audience will be too busy sifting through those aforementioned "red snappers" to care about the details. Read more

Cliff Doerksen, Chicago Reader: Writer-director David Twohy (Pitch Black) serves up mechanical thrills culminating in a bogus twist ending Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: Viewers know the gotcha is coming not only because they've been groomed to expect a third-act left turn in movies like this, but because the film's characters won't stop talking about it. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Who's been murdering newlyweds, turning a beachy paradise into a tropical hell shared by three pretty couples? You'll probably guess, but that doesn't take away from the slicked-up genre charms of this A Perfect Getaway. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: For a low-brow, psycho-on-the-loose-in-paradise thriller, A Perfect Getaway is surprisingly entertaining, with exactly the right elements to overcome the inevitable cliches. Read more

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: After toying with us, Twohy's reliance on standard shootings and stabbings is really rather boring. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: A Perfect Getaway is smarter than it looks and more fun than it has a right to be. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: A Perfect Getaway is one of those very clever whodunits that keeps you guessing for quite awhile. But on the way home, as you replay its tricks, you may feel more conned than charmed. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: The result isn't deadly dull, but it does turn what should have been a most dangerous game into a basic scenery-chewing contest. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Twohy serves up a hard-to-swallow second-act twist and an unconvincing back story, but the slightly overlong A Perfect Getaway recovers with a pulse-pounding climax. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Half of the movie seems fresh and hair-raising. The rest is just disappointing and predictable. At least it provides the underrated Steve Zahn, a likable and inventive actor with natural talent, with a starring role. He makes every minute count. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: The exotic setting and characters deserve more riveting situations than this imperfect Getaway gives them. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: This could have been a triumph of structure over story if only the importance of the structure had been better camouflaged. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Here's a thriller that worked for me. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: A Perfect Getaway is a clever, heart-pounding thriller, and a welcome return to form for the director. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: For all the characters' talk of second-act surprises and red herrings, the observant will have no trouble seeing writer/director David Twohey's breadcrumb trail of hints. Read more

Kevin C. Johnson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A Perfect Getaway, a more scenic than scary movie about a couple whose Hawaiian honeymoon goes horribly wrong, takes a long time to get where it's going. Read more

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail: A Perfect Getaway is the rarest of film treats -- a B-movie that knows where it's going and how to get there. Read more

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: What is surprising about this effective little thriller is how cleverly writer-director David Twohy toys with the conventions of the genre as they exist today. Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Read more

Nigel Floyd, Time Out: David Twohy's taut, palm-sweating thriller has two things going for it: it keeps you guessing and it doesn't insult your intelligence. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: A Perfect Getaway has its imperfections, but for a thriller of its kind, it's a lively and slick summer escape. Read more

Dennis Harvey, Variety: A big-reveal thriller with surprises that really do surprise -- and are worth waiting for through an audaciously long buildup. Read more

Tim Grierson, Village Voice: A Perfect Getaway is never great, but Twohy isn't aspiring for greatness -- he's after gritty and lively and weird. And that's good enough. Read more