Theo Robertson
One can certainly see what the producers are trying to do here - make a tongue in cheek homage to all these old B movies where an expedition lands on a newly discovered island and then finding themselves in a battle for survival . Certainly it's not made with an eye for the Oscars , just basic brainless witty fun that you can enjoy in front of the TV with a carton of popcorn . The problem is that writer/director Jack Perez has failed to develop that important word " witty " and it shows Back in the day these type of movies would feature a host of recognisable B movie actors . You'd probably have a problem naming them but you'd know their faces . Here however the only recognisable names are Carmen Electra , Burt Ward and Nick Carter . Take out Burt Ward and you instantly see what the age demographic for this film is , a fact reflected in the age group of the characters who find themselves trapped on the Island . In days of old these characters would be considerably older and have clearly delineated characters . Okay they'd be clichéd stereotypes such as square jawed hero , selfish bad guy and damsel in distress but that'd be preferable than the whiny teens seen here I notice some people have been slightly forgiving to MONSTER ISLAND thinking it's a deliberately bad movie that is not to be taken seriously but again you have to question if this is actually the case . It's not so much the cheap special effects and small budget that brings the film down - it's the lack of wit and affection to the genre that sinks this movie
Neil Welch
If you are going to homage cheesie monster movies, how better to do so than by way of a cheesie monster movie.Having said that, this film has a decent cast, with Adam West's rogue scientist Professir Harryhausen (and that name alone should give you a clue as to what you are watching) bringing the same sort of straight-faced spoofery to the matters at hand that he did as Batman, and a fistful of youngsters (led by the always watchable Mary Elizabeth Winstead) giving it all they've got.We also have some decent effects, costumes and locations, all of which are made to look rather lower budget than they are.I am amazed, however, that there are those who cannot tell that this rather entertaining offering is tongue in cheek.
Tommy Nelson
Watching this, it almost seems like it was filmed to be a comedy. But it's really hard to tell. If it's filmed as a horror movie, it's absolutely awful, and filmed as a comedy it's also terrible. The cover makes this look like a Carmen Electra versus the giant bugs movie, but it isn't. The plot is several teens win a contest and get to party with Carmen Electra on a deserted island. Problem comes when a giant flying ant swoops her up, and the select few kids that want to help, go on a journey to the big mountain to save her. The bugs were clay animated, and when the bug swoops her up, they have Carmen and her bodyguard clay animated also. It's a really ridiculous and tired premise, which moves from comedy, then to "horror" then back to comedy. The last 30 minutes of the movie are so painfully stupid it's hard to watch. And for anyone watching this because they enjoy Carmen's impressive resume'e, don't. She only has a total of maybe 15 minutes of screen time or less. Though I'm sure many people are amused by this, it's not a good movie and it's awfully stupid.*Just to add, Adam West plays a role in the film as an island inhabitant, and has the stupidest line in the film, "You kids shouldn't be horsing around here." My rating: * out of ****. 91 mins. PG for language and violence.
donnyg
This little flick was way above average for cable-tv fare. In fact, it was quite good on its own terms, mixing a simple but entertaining teen storyline with some surprising satire of corporate t.v. practices and clever, affectionate nods to the monster movies of Bert I. Gordon and Ray Harryhausen. In terms of acting, the younger members of the cast acquit themselves well (especially Mary Elizabeth Winstead) but it's Adam West who steals the show. His take on the 'grizzled scientist' archetype is campily amusing and genuinely likable all at once - the kind of witty celebrity-cameo perf you'd expect from a latter-day John Waters film. The filmmakers also deserve a round of applause for bypassing the usual lame CGI effects in favor of genuine stop-motion animation - it seals the film's b-movie appeal. In deference to 'gceomer,' this may not be LORD OF THE RINGS but it is a thoroughly likable little genre flick that is well worth the time for those of us predisposed to such fare.
AD
