Orang Ikan

Monster Island is a World War II-era creature feature that swings for the fences with a bold genre mashup: part survival thriller, part war drama, part folklore-fueled monster flick. Directed by Mike Wiluan (Buffalo Boys), and inspired by Malay mythology and classic films like Creature from the Black Lagoon, the movie feels like a love letter to mid-century horror wrapped in the rugged grit of a wartime survival tale.

The setup is promising. A Japanese soldier and a British POW are marooned on a remote island during WWII, forced to put aside their hatred and histories to survive. But it's not just each other, or the encroaching Japanese military they have to worry about. Something hungry stalks the jungle, able to camouflage itself like a chameleon, striking from the shadows with lethal precision. Think The Defiant Ones meets Predator, with a splash of Southeast Asian folklore.

It's a clever concept, and the film wears its influences proudly. The callbacks to The Defiant Ones aren't subtle, nor are the nods to classic monster movie tropes: the slow reveal of the creature in the dense jungle. When the film leans into its atmosphere, it works. There are stretches where you feel the tension between the two men just as much as the threat lurking in the trees.

Unfortunately, the execution doesn't always live up to the potential. The CGI creature design is interesting-drawing on mythical elements instead of going full Hollywood-but the visual effects themselves are... well, rough. The monster too often looks like it belongs in a Syfy original from the early 2000s, standing out awkwardly from the environment rather than blending in. That disconnect pulled me out of the experience, and while I try not to judge a film solely on its visual effects, they do matter in a creature feature... especially one built on stealth, camouflage, and primal terror.

Storywise, it's serviceable. The relationship between the two leads carries enough emotional weight to keep the film moving, and the pacing never drags. There are a few solid gore moments, but nothing that will shock seasoned horror fans. The ending, while not bad, lands right where you expect it to a little too safe for a film that tries to position itself as something unique.

For fans of offbeat monster movies or those with a soft spot for war-horror hybrids, Monster Island is a solid watch. It might not break new ground, but there's enough here-folklore inspiration, tension between enemies, turned-allies, and a cool creature concept to justify its runtime. For me personally, the movie didn't quite hit the right notes. I love a good creature feature, but I'm easily turned off by poor CGI and uneven tone. Still, there are many flavors of horror, and this one might just be the right bite for someone else.

Despite of never having heard about the 2024 movie "Orang Ikan" (aka "Monster Island"), of course I opted to watch it as I had the opportunity here in 2025. I am a big fan of all things horror after all.

The storyline certainly sounded interesting as served through the synopsis, however I have to say that the actual movie itself, well not so much. Sure, it was watchable, and there was potential, but ultimately it was a tedious and generic movie.

I was not familiar with a single actor on the cast list. The acting performances were not particularly outstanding or memorable, which was a shame, as the movie had a very small cast ensemble, and thus was depending on the acting performances to carry a certain weight of the movie.

The effects in the movie were okay, and I did like the creature design and the way that they made the aquatic creature look. It definitely helped keep the movie afloat, pardon the pun.

Ultimately then "Orang Ikan" is not a movie that I would recommend you to waste 84 minutes on watching.

My rating of writer and director Mike Wiluan's 2024 movie "Orang Ikan" lands on a generous four out of ten stars.

Great action, great suspense, great script, great practical FX, great creature design (although of course, based on the original), great story, great acting, great pacing, great location, great cinematography, great editing, great gore.

This movie is so goddamn fun! From the opening frames, to the somewhat heartfelt final moments, it's such an enjoyable ride. The film makers here set out to do one thing - make a fun movie - and that's EXACTLY what they accomplished. A nearly perfect escapism film that will have you enthralled the entire run time.

Absolutely recommended! Won't disappoint.

From its promising opening sequence, this film teases the audience with the promise of a taut, character driven drama. Yet after the first twenty minutes, what should be an absorbing narrative begins to unravel under the weight of its own indecision.

1. Pacing That Misfires The first act moves with purpose introducing a compelling premise and intriguing protagonists. But once the story gears shift into its second act, the momentum grinds to a crawl. Instead of escalating tension or deepening character dynamics, the plot stalls in a series of extended, almost meditative sequences. Moments that could have been lean and impactful are stretched far beyond their narrative value, leaving viewers checking their watches rather than leaning forward in their seats.

2. Directorial Overreach in Framing Director's penchant for dramatic zooms and prolonged establishing shots feels less like a stylistic signature and more like cinematic self indulgence. Scenes that demand emotional intimacy or brisk plot advancement are instead punctuated by repetitive close ups of empty rooms, lingering aerial sweeps of nondescript landscapes, and promise unfulfilled "slow reveals" that rarely reveal anything of substance. Rather than heighten suspense, these choices dilute it, making the film resemble a nature documentary more than a tightly woven drama.

3. Lost in Translation of Story to Screen There's a palpable sense that the filmmakers lost sight of the core narrative somewhere deep into the middle. Key plot beats come and go without the weight they deserve; characters drift through scenes without meaningful interaction, leaving motivations hazy and emotional stakes low. When a story's pacing and visual language fail to serve its themes, the result is a disconnect that's hard to shake.

4. Conclusion: A Case for Tighter Editing While there are flashes of visual beauty and occasional snippets of solid acting, the overall experience is hampered by a sluggish rhythm and an overreliance on stylistic flourishes. With judicious editing trimming extraneous zooms, sharpening scene transitions, and refocusing on the narrative spine this film could have held much greater impact. As it stands, it offers a lesson in how even the most intriguing premise can falter when the director loses sight of pacing and purpose.

No pun intended - since Predator came out many moons ago (decades actually) any movie that is close to what it did, will be compared with it. You know: if it bleeds, we can kill it. Same applies here and again no pun intended. Just saying for arguments sake and all that.

Now I do not remember the budget that Predator had, but it was big budget (Schwarzenegger just to name one of the actors in it) - and this right here is anything but. So if you consider the budget this had, this is really well done! And while the story may not have many surprises, the effects work as intended. Also the run time is short enough - so I don't think anyone will be annoyed at any point. Action and stunts are good too - the make up/costume is also quite good ... yes you can tell it is a human in a suit ... but suspension of disbelief is needed with most movies anyway, this is no different in any regard.

Just go along with the ride ... not a holiday vacation of course.