Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    EmmysSuperheroes GuideSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideBest Of 2025 So FarDisability Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Devil's Island

Original title: Djöflaeyjan
  • 1996
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Devil's Island (1996)
ComedyDrama

The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.The story of families living in barracks left by the US Army in Reykjavik at the conclusion of World War II.

  • Director
    • Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
  • Writer
    • Einar Kárason
  • Stars
    • Baltasar Kormákur
    • Gísli Halldórsson
    • Sigurveig Jónsdóttir
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
    • Writer
      • Einar Kárason
    • Stars
      • Baltasar Kormákur
      • Gísli Halldórsson
      • Sigurveig Jónsdóttir
    • 11User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 3 nominations total

    Photos4

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast52

    Edit
    Baltasar Kormákur
    Baltasar Kormákur
    • Baddi
    Gísli Halldórsson
    • Thomas
    Sigurveig Jónsdóttir
    • Karolina
    Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir
    Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir
    • Dolly
    Sveinn Geirsson
    Sveinn Geirsson
    • Danni
    Guðmundur Ólafsson
    • Grettir
    Ingvar Sigurdsson
    Ingvar Sigurdsson
    • Grjóni
    • (as Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson)
    Magnús Ólafsson
    • Hreggviður
    Pálína Jónsdóttir
    • Hveragerður
    Saga Jónsdóttir
    • Gógó
    Arnljótur Sigurðsson
    • Bóbó eldri
    Gylfi Sigurðsson
    • Bóbó yngri
    Valgerður Sigurðardóttir
    • Gislina
    Óskar Jónasson
    Óskar Jónasson
    • Lúí Lúí
    Ævar Örn Jósefsson
    • Maggi bjútí
    Helga Braga Jónsdóttir
    • Gréta
    Margrét Ákadóttir
    • Fía
    Sigurður Sigurjónsson
    Sigurður Sigurjónsson
    • Tóti
    • Director
      • Friðrik Þór Friðriksson
    • Writer
      • Einar Kárason
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    7.11.1K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    2ads-12

    Not a good film!

    This film features a lot of drinking, a lot of shouting and a lot of fighting! But this isn't enough to make it a good film. I never cared about the people in the story.
    8emollenkamp

    See a different film

    See this film. It is well-filmed, spoken in a funny language, and simply catches you from the beginning to the end. See how the American Dream is dreamt in a desolate place under different circumstances. All filming perspectives here are pieces of art.
    8Thaaddios

    A great Icelandic film

    This movie is a good, 'gritty' film, about a lower class family going through major cultural shock. Chances are you don't speak icelandic (I don't) but subtitled it flowed very well. It's not hollywood like, it goes a bit slower than your average film, but they use that time to develop the characters and to get you emotionally involved.
    6zimdog6

    an excellent film

    A very dark comedy dealing with people living in abandoned US barracks in Iceland. The characters apparently were based on real people but really, they could be characters that we know in our own parts of the world, making the point that we are all part of the human race with our foibles and idiosyncrasies. Yes, it was in the Icelandic language; yes, you likely had to read sub-titles. But for anyone interested in serious film, this would be no hindrance. This film puts to shame the overwhelming majority of films made in the USA these days which seem to be dumbing down even more each year. This is a film about life, covering a wide range from comedy to tragedy, but always thought-provoking and involving.
    7ornarnarson

    Excellent

    I have to disagree with the user that commented on the movie above me. You might think that this is my opinion as an Icelander, but this is truly my honest opinion from a motion picture point of view.

    This story probably captures Icelandic viewers born from 1900 - 1950 even better than the rest, since they might remember this peculiar scenario, where the poor people of the country lived in US/UK military cabins. This story realistically describes life in those days if you had little financial capabilities and lived in Iceland, which took a big leap in that time frame in regards of technology and thinking. Actors put on quite a show, and the characters are of such variations that almost everyone can relate to some of them, whether if it's yourself or somebody you know.

    I don't know why the other critic claimed that he didn't care whether the characters lived or died, but it seems to me that he wasn't really paying attention to the movie. I don't know if it's because it's mainly in Icelandic, or because of another reason (maybe not subtitled), but I recommend this movie to anyone who likes good movies that are not typical Hollywood movies.

    Cheers.

    More like this

    The Seagull's Laughter
    6.7
    The Seagull's Laughter
    Movie Days
    6.5
    Movie Days
    Children of Nature
    7.2
    Children of Nature
    Mamma Gógó
    6.5
    Mamma Gógó
    White Night Wedding
    6.6
    White Night Wedding
    The Day Shift
    8.0
    The Day Shift
    Cold
    5.6
    Cold
    Mr. Bjarnfreðarson
    7.2
    Mr. Bjarnfreðarson
    The Night Shift
    8.8
    The Night Shift
    The Prison Shift
    8.3
    The Prison Shift
    The Deep
    6.6
    The Deep
    I Remember You
    6.1
    I Remember You

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Elvis tribute band was initially not supposed to be in the movie at all, but when attempting to get clearances to use the original recordings proved far more expensive than anyone had expected, a group of professional, Icelandic session musicians were hastily hired to provide the incidental numbers. So the "band" that features in the film is not comprised of actors but of real musicians, really performing.
    • Goofs
      When Baddi drives his car from the airport after staying at his mother in the USA, another person is seen in his car, though he apparently comes back alone.
    • Quotes

      Dolly: Hey Dolly. Don't let the sun catch you cryin'.

    • Connections
      References The Bad Seed (1956)
    • Soundtracks
      All Shook Up
      Written by Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 1996 (Iceland)
    • Countries of origin
      • Iceland
      • Germany
      • Norway
      • Denmark
    • Languages
      • Icelandic
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Djävulsön
    • Filming locations
      • Breiðamerkurlón, Breiðamerkursandur, Iceland
    • Production companies
      • Icelandic Film
      • Zentropa Entertainments
      • Peter Rommel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • ISK 200,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,814
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,814
      • Mar 14, 1999
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,814
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Devil's Island (1996)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Devil's Island (1996) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.