The Isle

My friend made me watch this because it was supposedly good according to RT, but we both regretted our choice very much. Visually, The Isle looks great. There is some nice scenery here and there. It isn't horror nor thriller, it stays slow and works on building the mood and remains slow throughout the whole feature. Way too slow for its own good. I'm all for building atmosphere, but there just isn't anything here. The story is subpar and the characters don't draw you in. There is clearly a lack of funds here, which doesn't bother me, but still, it shows and it hurts the overall production. The narrative is weak and the film as a whole feels flat and drab. The actors could definitely use an acting class or two. I give it a few points for the nice location, but that's it. We both did not like this movie at all and it made us sleepy, if anything.

There's the makings of a good supernatural mystery in here somewhere but sadly it doesn't really come together. The lonely Island shrouded in most: check The unfriendly local man with something to hide: check The benevolent ingénue: check The ethnic minority character who wants to explore the island alone: check The spectre hovering in the background: check BUT it's sadly much less than the sum.of it's parts. There's no compelling story and no real scares.

Why is this movie listed in the horror section? It is NOT HORROR! It should be listed under drama/suspense, but not horror. If you go into it (as I did) being misled, thinking it is a horror film, you might be sorely disappointed. I wasn't because I love atmospherics. I love movies & TV shows where the setting is as important as the story and characters. In fact, good atmospherics create another character out of the setting, (sometimes it is the most important character, as was the case here). This desolate, godforsaken isle, is as much of a character, as the rest of the disconsolate souls that are stranded here. Why are they stuck here? Why are they trying to convince the newly arrived shipwrecked sailors, to make this isolated place their new home? Everyone here seems to be in on the same secret, can the sailors figure it out in time? And will they all make it out alive?

If you like a spooky setting, with more suspense than gore, then give this movie a try. If you're looking for blood & guts, look elsewhere.

I caught a moment of this flick on cable and was intrigued. After checking out the positive reviews here I recorded it on my DVR to watch in its entirety later.

The movie does draw you in at the beginning, with the standard "sailors beached on a desolate isle." They soon realize that strange things are afoot here, and we are given to understand that supernatural events are transpiring.

However, the movie then loses its forward motion. You can only have so many ghostly appearances, frightening nighttime walks in the woods, and otherworldy voices singing before your attention starts to flag. The movie lacks the arc of suspenseful tension that you find in Hitchcock's movies. By the long-hoped-for end one is yawning.

Skip it and watch reruns of Gilligan's Island.

Absolute shocker of a film. The rating of 6.5 was enough to convince me to watch it, and although ratings can be wrong (I have seen some very good 4/10's in the past) There is no possible way on earth that this is a 6.5. I feel i'm being extremely generous with a 3 star. I'm still considering making it a 2 as i write this review.

Bad casting, bad acting (I mean, really bad acting) even the costumes weren't believable. The only saving grace was the occasional nice view and half decent camera work.

It's a stinker, folks. Watch it if you want......but don't say i didn't warn ya.