Punishment Island

This film begins with a young man named "Saburo" (Akira Nitta) returning to an island where he was spent his teenage years at a reform school. While there he was brutally beaten by a guard named "Daigaku Otake" (Rentaro Mikuni) to the point that the people living on a nearby island thought he had been killed. So, having now returned after 20 years, he is filled with a terrible need for revenge. However, it is also during this time that he meets a beautiful young woman named "Aya" (Shima Iwashita) who he develops a friendship with. The problem is that Aya just happens to be the daughter of Daigaku. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an interesting movie which adds more details as the plot develops and gives more clarity for Saburo's quest for vengeance. In addition to that, the film also culminates with a surprising twist at the end as well. That being said, while I would have preferred a more drawn out ending, I still enjoyed this film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

On the ferry to a small Japanese island, a local asks a mysterious stranger why he is returning. As the story unfolds, we learn about a brutal, isolated war time penal colony for boys the local reform school could not handle...and a mysterious incident that is going to be resolved.

Although this particular story is fiction, the Japanese have a long cultural tradition of "Shimanagashi" (banishment to a remote island) as a correctional method. As such, the story is quite believable in a Japanese context.

The atmosphere at the beginning of the movie was great! The build-up and development of the story is excellent. The photography (shot of Hachijojima south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean) of the isolated colony for "the worst of the boys" is beautiful. Some viewers may find the movie too brutal.

Masahiro Shinoda is one of the last living director's from Japan's golden age of films, and while this isn't one of his best known films, I'd say it's one of the best of the ones I've watched so first.

The plot of Captive's Island starts simple - with a man who was once abused in a harsh island reform school as a boy returning there for revenge - but things get more complicated as the film nears its conclusion (as plots often like to do).

This benefits from its unique setting and great visuals, as the island setting really helps elevate the mood and tension of the otherwise fairly standard revenge story, as well as the film's simple but decent enough characters. One part that did stand out was a static long shot that lasted well over five minutes in the climax- it really added to the effectiveness of the ending.

With a runtime under 90 minutes, it never drags too much despite the leisurely pace and simple premise. It's a very good, well-made movie. Nothing incredible, but overall not much to fault, either.