Devil's Pond (2003)
4/10
Honeymoon survivor
11 October 2012
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.
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