I liked this gritty and harsh exploitation/revenge feature, and don't quite understand why it's so unknown and forgotten (and the people who do know it don't even seem to like it). True, the script somewhat moves too slow and quite a few sequences easily could have been cut, but the main premise is fascinating, the two main characters are likable and the pivot scenes are often so full of tension you have any nails left to bite by the time they're finished. David and Jill couldn't be happier on their wedding day. Finally reunited after David spent two years in the hell of Vietnam and they even escaped Jill's family traditional wedding ritual where they "hunt" the newlyweds and hope to ruin their first night together. Whilst hiding in a sleazy Cajun motel, David and Jill witness the execution of a corrupt businessman by hired hit men. The crazed killers knock David KO and viciously rape Jill. After this tragedy they attempt to pick up their lives again, but Jill is an emotional wreck and David has exclusively set his mind on retribution. They embark on a search to find out the rapists identities, which leads them all the way to New Orleans. One of the great things about "Nightmare Honeymoon" in my humble opinion at least is that the character drawings are more realistic and identifiable. The reason why the film doesn't contain that much violent action or rancid sleaze is because Elliot Silverstein largely puts the emphasis on the series of emotions the newlyweds go through, together as well as separately. David becomes so increasingly obsessed with the idea of revenge, he's often frightening himself and Jill suddenly questions her marriage, her feelings and even her own femininity. The final confrontation with the deranged rapist Lee (excellent performance by John Beck) is rather overlong but atmospheric and you genuinely pray for the couple to walk out of the showdown alive. The performances are great with very convincing roles for Dack Rambo (awesome name, dude) as David and the cherubic Rebecca Dianna Smith as Jill. Elliot Silverstein's direction is tight and solid. He completed this little 70's gem in between directing his two most famous and much more publicly acclaimed achievements, namely the western drama (and predecessor of "Dances with Wolves") "A Man Called Horse" and horror-favorite "The Car", about a satanically possessed vehicle terrorizing the inhabitants of a small desert town.
