For certainly this mini TV film contains some of the best hunks from down under ever in one film. Many from the soaps.
The story lasts about 3 hours and tells of a shipwrecked group of young people surviving on a deserted island loaded with World War II Japanese booby traps. Not all survive.
Directed by George Miller, this 1999 adventure film is beautifully photographed in exotic locations in Australia. Add those beautiful men and you have a gorgeous picture. The acting is pretty good for an adventure yarn and is distinguished with the appearance of Joanna Cassidy, a fine actress in a sympathetic role of an older woman and younger man love affair. She's a joy to watch every minute she's on screen. Then there's the likes of that ever lovin' Antonio Sabato Jr as a young man bitter towards the Vietnamese, having killed his father and causing his mother to lose her mind. He falls for the young Vietnamese girl who also lost her family due to pirates attacking their fishing boat. Their love affair and marraige, including having a child through her being raped by a pirate, is both honest and touching. Fine work by both actors. Minh-Tan plays the Vietnamese girl.
Thaao Penghlis, as the older husband to Cassidy comes from the soaps as does Paul Leyden, another beauty, playing the younger man to Cassidy. Rachel Blakely plays the young woman who discovers a secret cave where she soon finds the diary of a Japanese soldier left there to die years ago. His ghost appears and she fantasizes their relationship.
As the villain amongst them, Craig McLaughlan is absolutely beautiful and from Australia too. He's totally convincing in the role and gets his demise soon enough. And there's Sister Margaret, played by veteran actress Beverly Dunn. She steals almost every scene. My only disappointment was in the casting of another Australian, Nadine Garner in the role of Marie. She seems out of place in this film and unable to match the charisma of those around her. Hard to believe she could be so dumb to fall for the villain as she does.
Anyway I'm being picky. This is a good film well done by the performers and director. The scenery and the men are well worth seeing.
