Honeymoon From Hell

I'll start by saying that I tend to like what you might call "bad horror movies" and prefer the older, cheesier Lifetime movies to their newer ones, so I was probably the target audience for this one. (That being said, this wasn't exactly a "horror" movie by any stretch.) Once I got past the opening sequence and they arrived at the main location, the plot began to pull me in a little... probably bc I knew some sort of odd twist was coming bc that's just what happens in these movies! I will say, I think there was potential with the ideas and story, but they just didn't *quite* get there... Fell kinda short of the mark, I guess you'd say. Without giving away any spoilers, there were some plot points and characters that needed a little more explanation or development. The few special effects used were pretty bad. And the acting was hit or miss. I guess the way I'd describe it to a friend would be that it might have been one of the best student film projects I've ever seen... if only that's what it had been! All that being said, I did watch it all the way through and it held my attention overall. If you're inclined to like the old school lifetime thrillers and cheesy horror movies, you'll probably enjoy this enough. If you're a film snob and only watch award caliber stuff... well, frankly, I'm not sure why you'd even be here reading this review--this one is not for you!

In what is possibly her wedding gown, a young woman has a ghostly encounter. After the opening credits, the bride awakens on a tour bus. She is wealthy, dark-haired Lexi Giovagnoli (as Julia Lyons). Her groom is muscular, long-haired Adam Hagenbuch (as Rivers McCoy). The happy South Carolina couple arrives at a cozy cottage on the coast, where they will spend their "Honeymoon from Hell". Overly campy landlady Catherine Hicks (a Hazel Burroughs) dotes on the newlyweds. Other cottage residents include sexy blonde Cameron Richardson (as Janelle Gamble) and, of course, the ghost of Alice Flagg...

This TV movie begins oddly, with Ms. Giovagnoli dreaming of a ghost she, we presume, hasn't yet seen. Considering later events, that's only the beginning of some strained credulity. Director Jake Helgren and his team may not have had enough time to prepare for the honeymoon. Perhaps consequently, some of the players appear unnatural. Without a handle on her character, Ms. Hicks goes off the rails. Apart from his scraggly hair, generously shirtless Mr. Hagenbuch fills the screen impressively with a perfectly chiseled chest. Looking red hot in her sexy bikini bottom, Ms. Richardson appears most memorably.

*** Honeymoon from Hell (7/16/2016) Jake Helgren ~ Lexi Giovagnoli, Adam Hagenbuch, Catherine Hicks, Cameron Richardson

HONEYMOON FROM HELL/THE LEGEND OF ALICE FLAGG (TV Movie 2016)

*PERSONAL NOTE ON IDIOTS SEE BELOW

BASIC PLOT: Julia McCoy (Lexi Giovagnoli) is a small town southern girl, with too much on her mind. As she pushes her long dark hair, away from her pretty round face, she tries to find a way through her worries. Her husband, Rivers (Adam Hagenbuch), has planned the perfect honeymoon for the two of them. First, he took her on a river tour, which included a history of the legend of Alice Flagg. She was a woman who died in 1800's, after being separated from the love of her life. Next, Rivers found a quaint, old southern mansion, with great fishing, right on the water. A hurricane is approaching, but it's still out at sea, and besides, the gracious lady who runs the place, Hazel Burroughs (Catherine Hicks), assures them, the storms always turn north. Hazel's warm, country charm, soothes the couple's worries, and they decide to stay. It's an easier decision once Mr. Lyons, Julia's father (Gary Pezzullo), calls and demands they leave immediately. He has never approved of their relationship, much less their marriage. He's convinced Rivers is just after his daughter's trust fund, and treats him like the help. Julia has tried to be the peacemaker, but neither of them has made it easy. Her worries are now compounded, as she's just found out she's pregnant. Rivers is not ready for children yet, he's made that abundantly clear. And since they've arrived at the bed and breakfast, Julia has been feeling off. It's not just the pregnancy, she's seeing an ominous woman, peering in at her from strange places. She's wearing a white, lace dress, just like the story of Alice Flagg. As the storm intensifies, the behavior of the people around Julia becomes more erratic. When they try to leave, their car is sabotaged. Julia senses all is not what it seems. Can she figure out the truth from the lies, in time to save herself and her unborn child?

WHAT WORKS: *Catherine Hicks delivers a masterful performance as Hazel, the quirky, evil genius. Without her, this movie would be a shell, not the quality melodrama it ultimately achieves.

*The Tilghman Boyce Cottage is a fantastic setting for this thriller. It is a masterful backdrop for the suspense this movie provides. The location managers deserve a real nod here, although I couldn't find them in the credits.

WHAT DOESN'T WORK: *There are a few scenes where Lexi Giovagnoli does not deliver her lines in a believable fashion. It's not that distracting, and for the most part, it's a decent performance.

TO RECOMMEND, OR NOT TO RECOMMEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION: *I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of supernatural thrillers, or fans of any of the principal actors, especially Catherine Hicks, who is definitely the star of the show.

PERSONAL NOTE ON IDIOTS: I am so damn sick of the horror sickos voting down thrillers, because there's not enough gore! This is a made-for-tv thriller, it's NOT supposed to be a killfest, idiots! I am voting this higher, to counter act the morons, who don't understand the difference between horror and thriller.(I love vintage horror, not modern torture porn, but that's the point, there are tons of variations within the genre, it's not just one type. Check out Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror (2021), it's a 3hr 15min documentary about the sub-genres of folk horror.) There are many genres and sub-genres within the whole, STOP TRYING TO FORCE EVERY MOVIE THAT INCLUDES A GHOST, OR THE PARANORMAL, INTO WHAT YOUR IDEA OF HORROR IS!

CLOSING NOTES: *This is a Made-For-TV movie, please keep that in mind before you watch\rate it. TV movies have a much lower budget, and so your expectations should be adjusted.

*I have no connection to the film, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

I am a horror fan i love horror movies its what i watch to relax, unwind & fall sleep. this is not a horror movie even though that's how they sell it. its a i had a bad experience lifetime movie of the week. if that's what you like go for it or nothing against that or you. it ticks me off it was marketed to me as horror wasting my time so much I'm writing a review out of anger. NO GORE, NO VILLAIN, NO STRUGGLE, NO THRILL, NO HORROR. so if you want a bloodless movie of the week watch. if you want green room or Texas chainsaw don't watch! that's all you need to know about this movie you don't need to read beyond this point as it will just be my private nitpicking. i hate movies that want to be horror but are to Disney weak too push through and do it.

Beware of some of the negative reviews, I'm not saying this is a classic movie, but no where in Earth is it a 4.2, not when you compare it to many similar films from the genre. The acting is decent for the most part, the story is pretty good, but it's the physical twist that comes as a bit of a surprise, and works really well.

Those that say it's not a horror do have a point, I'd class this in the thriller category, it makes references to horror, but never really delivers any punches. Still, I enjoyed it. 7/10