Not to be confused with the Michael Bay-directed science fiction film of the same name, Michael Ritchie’s The Island finds Blair Maynard (Michael Caine) and his young son Justin (Jeffrey Frank) stranded on an island off the coast of Florida. Maynard is a journalist working on a story about mysterious disappearances, when a gang of pirates bring them face to face with the frailty of civilized humanity.
Michael Caine leads the cast with a terrific performance. An actor of natural ease and sheer likeability, Caine gives his character an unexpected ambiguity to the many emotional and physical situations he is placed in. David Warner as the leader of the gang of sea faring thieves does his due diligence in creating a character of unexpected complexity. He’s not just a thug, but also a sad character desperate for more in life. Young Jeffrey Frank as Justin is smart, witty, and tough in equal measure in a challenging role that should be a pleasant surprise.
Peter Benchley of Jaws fame wrote the screenplay based on his own novel, and it is a mixed bag of horror, familial drama and survivalist action film. This feels like a companion piece to The Deep in which Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bissett play a couple who come upon a shipwreck full of sunken treasure and the pirates who claim the loot. It’s more often on the right path than not, thanks to director Ritchie’s deft hand and the fantastic cast. The Island is a slow, yet riveting portrait of a man’s challenges to prove his mettle to himself, his child, and the outsiders who bring him into their fold.
Shout! Factory really has to be commended for their solid work of digging up some rather obscure catalog titles The natural settings for much of the film look great on this new transfer. The muted color pallet is given a nice presentation and the detail level is decent, as it appears the film was shot a bit soft to begin with. The soundtrack is rather basic, but serves its purpose, the dialogue is clean and the score is appropriately boisterous when the action ramps up. Unfortunately, the only bonus feature is a trailer for the film.
Bolstered by a great cast, and a daring script with some morally challenging moments, The Island is an unsettling mix of Lord of the Flies and Straw Dogs that will make you think twice about visiting an out of the way place for any reason again in your life. Michael Caine and David Warner make a great sparring pair and the vast, yet claustrophobic, environments in which they play against look great in this presentation. The film is a real treat for those who like their dramas a bit on the edgier side.
Film Score: 3.5/5 Disc Score: 2.5/5
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