Neville's Island

Friends in the UK raved about Tim Firth's play NEVILLE'S ISLAND, so when I saw this title, I got excited. What a let-down! This is the sort of thing British TV churns out in a fortnight and is just as quickly forgotten. But now, with DVD, forgetting takes a bit longer. The play's stage roots are badly showing here. The boat wreck that strands four men on a deserted island during a team-building weekend goes completely unseen - just a slow-mo shot of Tim Spall popping up from underwater. Budgetary restrictions, no doubt. Even the helicopter rescue shots were probably faked by a grip with a flashlight on a very tall ladder ("cue the chopper sfx"). Although the thesps are all top-notch, they seem mis-cast here - all straining for laughs as if they're still in the stage play. For American ears, the accents are as thick as day-old custard, so be warned. Also, any resemblance to DELIVERANCE is merely your wishful thinking.

i have not seen this film but for anyone who was disappointed i have just watched this at the theatre . A cast of four men , excellent. , it as a mix or pro actors and amateurs and it was brilliant the script and the timing were brilliant and being on a small stage it was well done the whole audience were in hysterics. some of these things are so much better when done in live theatre don't you think . for anyone who wants to give this a second chance look for it in your local theatre. i am sure you will agree it was made for the small stage. the play takes on a comedy base that eventually shows faults and sad moments in the mens lives.

Now this is the kind of film I watched without any idea of what I'd watch. It's basically the story of 4 business men on a "team building" weekend, where they set off to a remote island and end up being stuck on it. Soon all the hidden stories and rivalries start appearing...

That's a fairly good set, especially with low life businessmen working for a sparkling water company. Yet it fails to deliver.

All characters, albeit pretty funny are always depicted as somewhat moronic and quite honestly, I missed the writer's love for his own characters. Hence, you come up with a film that leaves you fairly not satisfied with the character development...

Being obviously subjective, I will take the imdb rating (5 being nothing special) and give it a 6. It definitely could have ranked higher, had the script be more subtle and generous.