LIHU‘E — Murder on the Kalalau Trail could be coming soon to a theater near you. A new film set to be released Aug. 7, “A Perfect Getaway,” depicts a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoon in paradise dealing with
LIHU‘E — Murder on the Kalalau Trail could be coming soon to a theater near you.
A new film set to be released Aug. 7, “A Perfect Getaway,” depicts a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoon in paradise dealing with the murders of another young couple on the way to Kalalau Valley in Na Pali Coast State Park.
The fictional horror-thriller, which stars Steve Zahn (“Sahara”) as Cliff, and Milla Jovovich (“Resident Evil”) as Cydney, was shot last year — but not on the Garden Island.
Kaua‘i Film Commissioner Art Umezu said in an interview last week that while producers did shoot two or three days of “B-roll” of the rugged coastline from a helicopter — which does not require film permits — no filming was done on the island itself.
Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau
Executive Director Sue Kanoho said “establishing shots” of Waimea Canyon, Kalalau and Na Pali Coast in the film’s trailer — available for viewing at www.iamrogue.com/aperfectgetaway or www.aperfectgetaway.net — show the movie is “clearly trying to be Kaua‘i.”
According to the Internet Movie Database at www.imdb.com, the film was largely shot in Puerto Rico between March and May 2008.
When filmmakers asked Umezu and Kanoho for official material like brochures and maps to give the movie authenticity, they said no.
“They did ask us for collateral to help them sell the movie, but when we found out it was going to be shot elsewhere and the content of it, we declined,” Kanoho said Monday.
According to the film’s official Web site, “Unsure whether to stay or flee, Cliff and Cydney join up with two other couples, and things begin to go terrifyingly wrong. Far from civilization or rescue, everyone begins to look like a threat and nobody knows whom to trust. Paradise becomes hell on earth as a brutal battle for survival begins.”
The site also features a sweepstakes contest with the grand prize winner receiving round-trip airfare to “the beautiful island of Kaua‘i” as well as a four-night stay in an unnamed resort hotel and airport transportation.
Kanoho said this is not the first time the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau has turned down such a request, saying that 2006 action movie “Snakes on a Plane” was denied use of Kaua‘i promotional footage because its content “doesn’t go towards who we are.”
“Does this hurt the Kaua‘i brand? Because there’s a murder involved, it doesn’t help,” Kanoho said of “A Perfect Getaway,” noting that to her knowledge the film is not based on a true story.
Umezu said that speculation about a murder on the trail could actually drive more people to visit the spot, and both Umezu and Kanoho said the genuine footage of Kaua‘i will showcase the island’s beauty and will encourage tourism.
“That’s an incredible marketing thing. … The picture tells the story. I think it will” provide good publicity, Umezu said. “The only negative thing is the murder. It’s a movie, it’s fiction. That sells. I hope the movie does well.”
Kanoho also released a written statement.
“We have yet to see the movie, but from what we know, ‘A Perfect Getaway’ follows the well-trodden path of a survival thriller film about a good vacation gone awry. It’s standard Hollywood fictional entertainment and we think people will accept it as that. We’ll know more once it comes out Aug. 7,” Kanoho said.
A message left for Kukui Grove Cinemas seeking information about if or when the movie will be released in Lihu‘e was not returned by press time and the theater’s Web site did not mention the film as an upcoming release despite including other films coming out in August.
Kanoho said in the phone interview that a public relations representative will see the movie on O‘ahu the day it is released to determine what, if any, steps should be taken thereafter.
“We’ve got our ear to the ground and are closely monitoring it,” she said. “We’ll get through it. I’m not overly worried about it but I am keenly aware of the impact of Hollywood.”
• Michael Levine, assistant news editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or mlevine@kauaipubco.com
