Honeymoon Blu-ray Review

Kyle Klutz’s debut feature film, "Honeymoon," is presented on Blu-ray with an impressive 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer. Shot with the Arri Alexa, the film displays the sharpness and clarity typical of digital photography without the harshness often associated with it. The muted, understated color palette effectively supports the film’s atmosphere, enhancing both nighttime and daytime scenes. Night scenes are particularly well-handled, with solid blacks obscuring potential threats while keeping essential details illuminated. Conversely, the daytime scenes maintain a natural look, aligning with the portrayal of an ordinary couple at a family cabin.

The Blu-ray exhibits a high level of consistency in contrast and color reproduction. Contrast is balanced, ensuring bright daytime sequences without overexposing white levels and maintaining robust blacks during nighttime scenes devoid of banding or crush. However, some detail is deliberately sacrificed to enhance the film's atmosphere; interior shots can appear darker and hazier compared to exterior scenes. This intentional choice complements the gloomy narrative ambiance of "Honeymoon," especially evident in the lake scenes where fine details are most pronounced.

Technically, the BD-25 disc allows for an average bitrate of 21.99 Mbps, which is sufficient given the digital source material and lack of intense action sequences. The transfer handles textures effectively, from natural elements like trees and dirt paths to finer details in clothing and skin, maintaining a consistent and natural appearance. While fine detail can be hit or miss, particularly in darker sequences, it serves to reinforce the film’s grimy aesthetic. Overall, the video presentation on this Blu-ray is top-notch, elevating the narrative through its atmospheric visual design.

The 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack of "Honeymoon" excels in creating an atmospherically immersive environment, thanks to Heather McIntosh's masterful and suggestive score. Utilizing a mix of basic piano notes and waves of synthesized harmonics, the score amplifies the tension and unease. Crucial environmental elements such as nighttime forest sounds, whirring insects, and splashing waves enhance the setting, complemented by unsettling buzzes and electrical shorts that suggest intentional interference. Dialogue reproduction is mostly clear, except during select scenes where characters switch to a mix of English and French, deliberately excluding the audience and augmenting the film's mysterious undertones.

The ambient sound design is a defining feature of this soundtrack, prioritizing atmospheric immersion over bombast. It effectively conveys subtle details like lapping waves, crackling fires, and the preparation of food, thereby organically integrating into the narrative. Heather McIntosh's score notably accentuates the genre's psychological horror elements through subtle audio cues rather than flashy effects, adding to the film's disturbing ambiance. Despite its relative quietness, the audio remains impressively balanced, with dialogue mainly centered but occasionally spread across channels for a dynamic listening experience. Key scenes such as Paul's search for Bea effectively utilize multi-channel effects to enhance tension.

Technically, the disc offers solid dynamics and low-frequency extensions that, while not overwhelming, prove effective during pivotal "jump scare" moments. The surround sound presentation primarily employs ambient noise in the rear speakers with accurate movement across the front channels that aligns seamlessly with the on-screen action. This cohesive audio approach does more than just complement the film; it elevates the overall viewing experience by meticulously crafting an unsettling atmosphere tailored to the film's niche genre. Voices remain crisp and highly audible throughout, ensuring that dialogue is always intelligible even during intense musical interludes.

The Blu-ray extras for "Honeymoon" provide insightful and engaging content for fans and cinephiles. The interviews with Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway offer a comprehensive look at their initial reactions to the script, character development, and on-set chemistry. Director Leigh Janiak's discussion sheds light on her writing collaboration with Phil Graziadei, production challenges, and casting choices. Behind-the-scenes snippets like 'The Worm' and 'Canoe' segments highlight the practical difficulties faced during filming, adding a touch of authenticity and humor. The AXS TV promo effectively combines interviews into a cohesive featurette, giving an extended view of the film's marketing strategy. Additionally, a series of trailers show various promotional approaches. Although the BD-Live functionality was inaccessible, this doesn’t detract from the overall value of the supplemental content provided.

Extras included in this disc:

• Interview with Actors Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway: Insight into their reaction to the script and preparation.
• Interview with Director Leigh Janiak: Detailed discussion on writing, casting, and production.
• The Worm Behind the Scenes: Raw footage of a challenging fishing scene.
• Canoe Behind the Scenes: Difficulties of filming on water.
• AXS TV: A Look at Honeymoon: Extended promotional featurette combining interview clips.
• Festival Trailer Extended Version: Extended marketing trailer.
• Festival Teaser Trailer: Initial teaser trailer.
• Theatrical Trailer: Main promotional trailer.

"Honeymoon," directed by Leigh Janiak and co-written with Phil Graziadei, deftly reinvigorates classic horror tropes within a low-budget framework. Starring Rose Leslie as Bea and Harry Treadaway as Paul, the film succeeds in creating an atmosphere of sustained suspense and unease. This intimate thriller centers around a newlywed couple honeymooning in a secluded Canadian cabin owned by Bea’s family. The idyllic retreat soon descends into paranoia and distrust after Bea is found wandering the woods naked and disoriented, unable to recall how she got there.

Janiak impressively maintains tension throughout, expertly balancing character development with an increasing sense of dread. Leslie and Treadaway deliver compelling performances that chart the gradual disintegration of trust between Bea and Paul. What begins as newlywed bliss quickly deteriorates into suspicion and fear, exacerbated by Bea's inexplicable behavior and physical distress. The subtle horror unfolds against the backdrop of a seemingly benign setting, revealing darker horrors beneath.

As the film progresses, the narrative adopts elements from sci-fi and body horror genres, drawing comparisons to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "The Fly." Despite these influences, "Honeymoon" remains grounded through its focus on the emotional dynamics between the leads. Janiak’s choice to pare down the storytelling to intimate moments heightens the impact of each reveal. Rather than relying on conventional genre clichés, "Honeymoon" explores deeply personal fears about trust and identity within relationships. Its low-budget production does not detract but rather enhances its raw and unsettling atmosphere, making it a noteworthy addition to modern horror cinema.

"Honeymoon" is an intriguingly intimate horror film, showcasing the atmospheric setting and compelling performances by Rose Leslie and Harry Treadaway. Directed by Leigh Janiak, the movie excels by maintaining a tight focus on character development rather than relying on big-budget effects or grandiose villains. This approach aligns well with the genre's roots, evoking the emotional depth found in early horror literature such as Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein." The narrative deliberately keeps revelations to a minimum, opting instead to explore the unsettling dynamics between characters, which amplifies the psychological horror aspects.

On a technical level, the Blu-ray presentation from Magnolia is commendable. While the image quality isn't razor-sharp, it effectively conveys a moody atmosphere that complements the film's disturbing themes. The audio quality also holds up well, enhancing the eerie ambiance that permeates the secluded forest of the honeymoon retreat. Special features include insightful interviews with the cast and director, providing valuable context and behind-the-scenes perspectives that enrich the viewing experience.

In conclusion, "Honeymoon" shouldn't be oversold. It's a small, character-driven movie, and anyone expecting big effects and operatic villains should look elsewhere. Horror has always been most effective when it's intimate and personal. The genre was created by a 19th-century female author, Mary Shelley, who transformed her experience of miscarriage into a tale of a male scientist seeking to create life by reanimating dead tissue, only to realize he had created his own destroyer. Janiak's creative instincts clearly tend back to that wellspring, in which the things we care about most also pose us the greatest danger. Magnolia's Blu-ray is a fine presentation; so, as long as the film is approached with the right expectations, it comes highly recommended.