Customer Reviews

The Island [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Now, here's a film that should definitely be available on DVD by now. By the time I got around to watching this, I had completely forgotten what it was even supposed to be about - but I put away any misgiving once I saw that it starred Michael Caine and was based on Peter Benchley's post-Jaws novel of the same name. Admittedly, the movie is a little out there and has a couple of weaknesses in the plot, but the whole thing is realistic enough to be plausible and features some pretty shocking violence for a 1980 non-horror movie - the opening scene is a particularly effective attention-getter.

Michael Caine plays Blair Maynard, a New York journalist determined to get to the bottom of a rather shocking number of boats lost near the Bahamas in the last three years. As fate would have it, his son Justin (Jeffrey Frank) turns up in his office unexpectedly (the ex-wife having forgotten to even let Maynard know he was coming), so the two of them jet off to Florida for the weekend. In case you have any doubts as to the age of this movie, just watch a gun shop sell Blair a handgun for his twelve-year-old son upon their arrival. Anyway, the two take a most memorable air jaunt to a remote island, head out to do some fishing, and discover that being a Good Samaritan is rather highly overrated. Before you can say Yar, matie! the two of them find themselves captives of a rag-tag bunch of filthy pirates - actually, they prefer to be called buccaneers. Their archaic culture, which is a really weird mix of religion, ritual, and savagery, has survived for three hundred years out there in the middle of the Caribbean, hidden from the eyes of modern man (except for those they kill, of course). They keep Maynard alive because they need some new blood in the tribe - if you know what I mean - but the tribal leader has other plans for young Justin. Those plans greatly complicate Maynard's efforts to somehow escape from a seemingly inescapable predicament.

Buccaneers will be buccaneers, which means there is plenty of violence every step of the way toward a real bloodbath of a conclusion. I have some issues with the way young Justin's story played out, but all in all I found this to be an intensely interesting movie. The storyline could easily have degenerated into something rather silly, but the director never let that happen. As amusing as some of the buccaneers' antics might be, this is a serious film (except, of course, for the second strangest kung fu sequence I've ever seen) that steadily increases in intensity throughout. It doesn't have the in-your-face life-and-death drama of Jaws, but for my money it's a mighty interesting - and undeniably unusual - movie experience.

Investigative reporter Blair Maynard is looking into the disappearance of recreational water craft and their passengers over a three year period in the Caribbean. Unfortunately for Maynard and his son, his journey will unlock the chilling 300 year old secret of "The Island" and its inhabitants. What is the Island? What terror awaits Maynard and his son on the Island? Can anyone escape the Island?

In 1980 long before cable and satellite television would come to Windsor, we had decoder boxes hooked up to our televisions so we could receive the signal from ON-TV via WXON out of Detroit. Believe it or not, ON-TV was also the first network to broadcast the uncut version of the original "Dawn of the Dead" Thanks to ON-TV in 1980 I was able to see " The Island" starring Michael Caine and I've waited a long time to see this film again.

Thanks to Universal Studios a legitimate DVD is finally available for fans via their MOD program. The disc is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media, so it's not the factory pressed DVD with the protective coating were used to buying. I'm not a big fan of the MOD disc program but this is the only way to get "The Island" on DVD until a proper release from Universal Studios takes place.

Some fans will be upset that the disc is bare bones. There isn't a fancy menu at the beginning of the movie or choice of sound options. I put the movie in my player and walked away for a couple minutes and when I came back the movie was already playing. Sadly, there aren't any commentaries or bonus features for fans of the movie either.

Fans will be excited when they see the video transfer that Universal Studios has given us for this MOD release. The 2.35:1 widescreen video transfer is worth the price of this DVD alone, I couldn't find anything wrong with the image at all. The picture is extremely clear and better than anything I expected to see. The colors are sharp and vibrant and I didn't notice any blemishes in the video transfer. The only complaint I have is with the sound level. The Dolby Digital 2.0 is crisp and clear but I really had to turn up the volume to hear what was being said.

Back when they knew how to make a Good Movie that wasn't FULL of FX.

Why O Why is this not on DVD yet?

The first Kill and The Finale were worth the price of admission alone.

Peter Benchley's novel about a surviving clan of 18th century era pirates still wreaking havoc in the Caribbean seems even sillier on the big screen than it did as a novel. Michael Caine plays an investigative reporter lucky enough to have the last name of Maynard, who, after practically abducting his estranged son, flies down to the Caribbean to look into some boat disappearances. What he uncovers is the aforementioned island 'society' of inbred pirate remnants who have managed to survive without any real contact with/knowledge of the outside world. That these toothless goons could pose any kind of real threat after such a long period, and with such an arachiac method of attack, never become believable. When The Island was first released in 1980, critics lambasted the film for its excessive violence and ludicrous plotting, you will find no argument from me on those points. But the movie has some things of merit. Albert Whitlock contributes some typically wonderful matte painting work, Ennio Morricone's score has personality to spare, and director Micheal Ritchie choreographs some effective action scenes. None of that makes movie any better, just diverting enough to maintain the bad movie buff's interest.

Think of The Hills have eyes or Wrong Turn but in the high seas. Yes very violent, very disturbing and absurd that such 18th century pirates are still around roaming these vast oceans? The coelecanth an 8 foot long fish believed to have been extinct for 30 million years was found on the coast of South Africa in 1938 and a school of it were found in the Indian Ocean 10 or so years ago. So the plot is plausible and unique and one of its kind intelligently conceived by Peter Benchley of Jaws fame. Not to mention the Caribbean is rich in colonial history in addition to the enigma of the Bermuda Triangle phenomena. Michael Caine and son are caught in a web of conflicts and delusion in this motley crue of ravaging despicable pirates or buccaneers in its English historical context. The browning machine gun scene with Michael Caine belongs to cinematic history's most powerful and violent shootout. David Werner one of Britain's great imports to Hollywood delivers a mind boggling performance as the villainous leader of this rat pack caught in time.

On "Monty Python's Flying Circus" the late Graham Chapman played a constable who used to interrupt sketches that outlived their usefulness by imploring them to stop for being too silly. While watching "The Island" I was waiting for Chapman to pop in to stop this nonsense. Author Peter Benchley should sue the screenwriters who butchered his source material. Oh, Benchley adapted his own book. This whole enterprise is just ludicrous. We are led to believe that in the Carribean there is a community of indigenous inbreds who terrorize vessels who pass through their remote waters for years and authorities are totally indifferent. Sounds like someone is trying to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge. Regardless, it's the very absurdity of the premise that makes it watchable. The film is helped immeasurably by a decent performance by Michael Caine as an investigative journalist attempting to uncover the mysteries. The movie is also scored by Ennio Morricone which gives it a little gravitas. You watch "The Island" with not just a grain of salt but the whole ten pound bag.

I have looked for this movie for a long time. One of my favorites from the younger years. Thank you for prompt delivery. It is a great add to my movie selections.

Great Michael Caine, David Warner film. Modern day pirates abduct Michael Caine and his disappointed son. The lead pirate (Warner) brain-washes Caines son -some great scenes here- while Caine is given to the woman of a man he killed upon their abduction. The pirates are living by by codes they'd originally enstated over 100 years ago. So, we have some very entertaining dialogue on this island. The US Coast Guard end up arriving for which the pirates have some daring plans. I won't give the storyline away, but when this film finally is released in the US there should be some rejoicing. Definitely one of Michael Caine's best films.

I liked this movie...but I like Michael Caine. Parts of this bloody movie I had to close my eyes on but rewatch Island every so often for the adventure. One of the few scary creepy features that isn't done on a shoestring and Italian.

Escapism but a good one. Too bad it isn't out on DVD

I saw this movie when it first came out in theatres. Not a great movie, not that bad either. An amusing movie at the time - considering the stuff that was coming out then - it ain't all that bad. Perhaps if I saw it again now I might see what those below hate about it - but I don't think so. This is one of the movies that I saw back in the late '70's and early '80s that stuck with me as a movie I really liked.

So check it out - you'll be entertained at least - better than the ..... they show on television at any rate.