Cheap Island of the Dead (DVD) (Malcolm Mcdowell) Price

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Customer Reviews of Island of the Dead

"Uhhh.......whens the good part coming"
SUCKED!!!!! A guy buys an Island that is used to bury John Does, and other unknown people, to put up some place to help the homeless. Then, here comes the scariest part, a bunch of flies scare em away. I thought this was gonna be at least a semi-decent zombie film, but I was SOOOOOOOOOOO wrong. What happens? (counting), 5-6 people die by FLIES. Oooooh scary. This movie pisses me off. DONT BUY IT!!!!!! I waited an hour for something some what interesting to happen and the movies like an Hour and a half long. SUCKED!!!!! if I could have given it -1000000000000000000000001 stars I would. Oh yeah, if anyone wants to buy this from me for 6 bucks contact me through my e-mail.

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BAD BAD BAD movie!
Watched this tripe last night. I heard supposed good things about it when they were making it. BAD BAD BAD movie! Children of the Dead level of bad.

First off, Talisa Soto is one fine looking specimen, but she's aged to a point where she can't pull off either Lara Croft or Vampirella, both of which were modeling gigs she had when she was younger. She even played Vampirella in the horrible movie version with Roger Daltrey as the heavy.

I don't know what they thought they were doing when they made this movie. The locale, Harts Island, is sufficiently creepy. A million bodies, mostly of the indigent have been buried there and should make for a good creepfest, except it isn't used much.

The bad guys are flies which are never seen clearly, although sometimes their perspective is employed by jerky camera moves that detract very strongly from the story. These jerk action moves are very obviously done on a tripod as all the jerks are across one direction or span. Whats more, the actual cinematography is poor. Sometimes, there would be a sweep across abandonned buildings (which we are told in an interesting story onc e housed the quarantined sick and then, later, the mad. This plotline is never brought up again) that goes right to left and then, inexplicably reversed halfway. Bad filming.

The flies themselves are laughable and there is no gore worth watching.

We should have a separate discussion about any movie starring Malcolm "If-Theres-A-Check-Involved-I-am-So-There" McDowell. He phones in his performance, pretty much like he's done in every movie since Tank Girl (last decent performance from him that I saw).

It has NOTHING to do with the Dead Universe, despite the title. Some people do die but their deaths are ridiculous.

The only person worth watching was the island manager, who actually was kind of interesting. I've never seen him before, have no idea what his name is, but he was pretty cool.

Mos Def is also in the movie, for the inane rap music connection.

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ARTSY FARTSY BUT EERIE AS WELL
Okay, I agree that the overused shots of the jump roping got old real fast, and it never really did explain itself, other than haunting the missing persons detective. But I credit director Tim Southam on his use of atmosphere and the rarity of not really showing the flies. Just the jerky camera work and the sound of the flies gave a pervasive feel. Some haunting, if unnecessary imagery. And the big question too remains: if the flies only wanted Malcolm MacDowell's character, why did they kill off everyone else?
McDowell does well in his role; Talissa Soto plays the cop who was an orphan, adopted by Irish parents, which explains her Italian accent; Bruce Ramsay did a good job as Tony, the wrongly convicted felon; and surprisingly Keith McQuaid as the jittery inmate and rapper Mos Def as a typical jive man were quite good and entertaining. A big complaint though: what was it with the slow mo introduction to the mayor accompanied by that awful noise we call rap, performed no less by Mr. Def? It obviously was inserted to attract teens I'm sure, but artistically it was brutally inappropriate. I give it the four stars for the intense brooding atmosphere, and the old chestnut that says there is more terror in implied horror than in gross out.
Not a gem, but a different and recommended thriller.