Devil's Pond

Not bad for the genre, if only because the filmmakers stayed away from the usual cliches. I was thoroughly entertained for ninety minutes without having to stop and think too hard, either about bad plot or bad script and that's all I wanted.

Looks like a mid-week telemovie and stars Tara Reid beginning to regret her recent nuptials to Kip Pardue, after he goes berserk on their honeymoon, turning out to be a grade-A psycho who's been stalking her, grooming her as his prized possession. He seems to develop an obsessive psychosis as he manhandles her around his 'island' (an idyllic setting surrounded by a lake which is useful, because she has a mortal fear of drowning), controlling her behaviour, opinions and generally engaging in ever-escalating forms of domestic violence. Initially surprised, she gradually becomes aware he's not the man she thought he was, by which time, it's too late and she must fight fire with fire in order to escape "devil's island".

Momentum is present, the gradual escalation too, but the film never quite manages the "psychological thriller" for which it appears to be aiming. Tara's make-up and hair never seem to match the ferocity of Kip's brutal attacks, his creepy, emotionally detached persona done reasonably well. If you can't cop Tara, or for that matter Kip, then you're in trouble because they're essentially the entire cast, although Meredith Baxter-Birney has a very minor role.

I've read that this is an independent film which explains the sometimes amateurish look and feel, though given the film's small scale, this isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. If you can suspend disbelief for long enough to accept the human headline, minor celebrity of Tara Reid attempting a vaguely important role, then this will be sufficient to pass the time.

Handsome and muscular Kip Pardue (as Mitchell "Mitch" Whalen) takes sexy blonde bride Tara Reid (as Julianne) to honeymoon in a little love shack on a small Montana island surrounded by water. From the bruised and bloody opening, we know this is going to be a bad trip. After a few days of good sex, Ms. Reid finds out she's very likely trapped on the island. Reid is also nervous and afraid around water. She never learned how to swim. Her cell phone doesn't work, either. He looks great wearing only his jeans, but Mr. Pardue shows psycho possibilities. Making matters worse, Pardue is close to running out of cigarettes...

There isn't much of a story here, so director Joel Viertel deserves credit for sustaining some interest as scenes progress. The co-stars are about all you'll see; they are good looking and beautifully photographed, by Matthew Jensen. Pardue and Mr. Viertel keep the male lead from overreaching, which does make his character and the situation more convincing. Pretty in pink lipstick, Reid looks mildly disgusted when she first sees the honeymoon shack and maintains that emotion; she keeps her shirt on, also. While the repair efforts are appreciated, Pardue's see-through love shack does not look like it would stay dry inside.

****** Devil's Pond (5/16/03) Joel Viertel ~ Kip Pardue, Tara Reid, Meredith Baxter, Dan Gunther

The plot of this film seemed rehashed from a couple of other thrillers like Misery, The Collector, Single White Female and Sleeping with the Enemy. I give this film a fair rating because I'm an avid thriller fan, otherwise this would be harshly rated.

The film has a very standard, unoriginal plot, nearly just like other thriller; A girl is in danger from a guy, and she must try to escape from his clutches, except the location is wholly different, an isolated island.

The dialogue comes across as corny at parts. The acting by Tara Reid is pretty awkward at times, but she did a good job. The husband's acting was dull, and I thought him smoking in nearly every scene was annoying and distracting.

Although this film is less than 85 minutes, I thought it went for too long. There were some slow scenes throughout. I didn't like how every time she tries to escape and he taunts her, yet she still loves him - though at the end though she fakes it. I mean, from the first fight, she shouldn't even have forgave him. She should've tried to escape from the beginning, really, as there was nothing nice about him.

Besides those flaws, the film was pretty suspenseful at parts, which that was helped by the tense and adrenaline pumping score. For a TV film, it did have good scenes of high tension and suspense. It's a fun thriller to watch, although it shouldn't be taken seriously.

The whole exotic, yet isolated, setting made it stand out from its predictabilities, clichés and slow scenes. And let's not forget the good direction and suspenseful moments - though it did needed more of those suspenseful scenes.

This movie was great go rent it Tara Reid did a great job. The movie kept you on your toes through out the 90 minute film great movie go rent the DVD on December 16, 2003. I think Kip Pardue was great as well. I give the movie a 10 out of a 10.