Film reviewer, Liam Patrick is back, this time with his top five Island films. Why not add your top five in the comments below? Ed
There are some things that you can only get away with on an Island.
Burying treasure in the suburbs seems slightly illogical if not a lot less fun. Equally resurrecting a tyrannosaurus is bound to raise a few eyebrows even in the most laid back of land bound cities.
Islands give scope to the imagination. I’ve lived on an Island for many years and these are my top five Island films to escape with.
Five: Battle Royale
Many intrepid explorers set forth to seek the fabled foreign films section, and for some their tribulations are rewarded with a movie worth considerably more than the sum of its sharpened parts.
The new millennium brings revolutionary new laws in Japan as its nation collapses and a class of 9th graders are captured and taken to an island where they are pitted against each other in a fight to the death, in accordance with the new ‘Battle Royale’ Act.
20 minutes into Battle Royale and the film has got through as many genres as it has casualties. Sliding seamlessly through horror, romance and action all with a dark comedic chuckle as the bodies continue to mount higher.
Director Kinji Fukasaku uses violence in the film the way an artist might paint a canvas, with each stroke uncovering beautiful moments of raw emotion from his young cast. Battle Royale is a truly original film whose heart-pounding premise explores the tragic pain of having to grow up.
Four: Shutter Island
From behind the veil of a thick sea mist a ship emerges bound for a desolate island; accompanied by a musical score so ominous that having heard it the shark from Jaws would flee to lie low as a dolphin until the heat died down.
In 1954 U.S Marshall, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), is sent to investigate the disappearance of an inmate from an isolated island that houses a hospital for the criminally insane.
The moment Daniels tentatively steps onto the island the audience are treated to an atmosphere as thick as treacle, impressively orchestrated and deliciously immersive. From the barren cliffs to the dank austerity of the cell blocks, each set piece expands to masterful depths, engulfing both characters and audience.
DiCaprios engaging performance leads us on this spectacular ghost train, and though some might guess the destination, everyone will enjoy the ride.
Three: Muppet Treasure Island
For decades now learned men and women have pondered the seemingly unfathomable question: Is there any story that can’t be improved with Muppets?
Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop) discovers a pirate’s map and along with his friends, Gonzo and Rizzo, sets off on an adventure for buried treasure.
The intro of Muppet Treasure Island comprises a choir of crocodiles, weasels, monkeys, octopuses, hermit crabs, tikis, snakes and skulls; in fact it seems it would be hard to find any animal or inanimate object on the island that won’t sing back at you.
Tim Curry takes the part of enigmatic antagonist Long John Silver, showing once again that it is impossible to dislike anyone in a Muppet production. With great tongue in cheek humour and incredibly catchy tunes Muppet Treasure Island is altogether an enduring and joyous adventure for children and adults alike.
Two: Cast Away
It’s a mark of great or terrible writing when your favourite character in a film is a painted volleyball.
As a result of a plane crash, Fed Ex executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) becomes stranded on a deserted island and must adapt to survive.
We all know in this situation someone like Bear Grylls having been marooned on an island would have finished his two storey hut and moved onto some tennis courts by day three; but what would we do? Ruling out, eat the conveniently placed camera crew, of course. Hanks portrays the everyman incredibly well, his survival ineptitude crossed with his determination make him a modern tragic hero.
Cat Away is truly a unique film; it was the qualities of masterful filmmaking in that it takes us on a journey while standing still.
One: Jurassic Park
“Is that… auto”¦ erotica?” asks Donald Gennaro (Martin Ferrero) referring to the park’s researchers on the tour that he suspects are automated. The answer, fortunately, is no. Unlike Transformers and films like it, what Jurassic Park lacked in sex and robots it made up for in story and a true sense of spectacle.
During a preview tour of an island theme park, the security system suffers a major breakdown freeing its genetically engineered dinosaur exhibits to cause chaos.
Early in the film Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) witnesses for the first time one of the genetic creations of the park, a Brachiosaur feeding from a tree set to a soaring score.
The look of genuine awe that plays across Grant’s face in this moment sums up the cinematic wonder that audiences will share in the film. The action sequences are tense and fulfilling, balanced expertly with the comparative stillness when the characters are nestled in the treetops as night falls.
Jurassic Park is unquestioningly a modern classic, marrying awe-inspiring visuals with beautiful storytelling.
