The Island (1980)

_**“Ahoy there, matey” horror in the remote Caribbean**_

A British-born American journalist (Michael Caine) is assigned to the region of the Bermuda Triangle to find out why so many crafts and people have gone missing. He ventures there with his son where they discover the secret lair of… (watch the movie and find out). David Warner co-stars.

“The Island” (1980) was written by “Jaws” author Peter Benchley and based on his novel. He wrote or co-wrote the screenplays for “Jaws” (1975), “The Deep” (1977) and this one, but its failure at the box office sunk his screenwriting career, although he kept writing novels.

Neither “The Deep” nor this one is great like “Jaws,” but they’re worth checking out if you’re in the mood for an ocean-oriented adventure/thriller that’s generally realistic. The film is basically the story of a father & son and their survival during an unbelievable experience in the secluded West Indies. It’s a commentary on isolation, retrogression and inbreeding, yet could’ve been more compelling if a little more time/money was spent fleshing out the potential. But the kick axx last act makes it worth the investment.

Australian actress Angela Punch McGregor is effective as Beth.

The movie runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot mostly on the islands of Antigua, which is 250 miles east of Puerto Rico, and Abaco in the Bahamas.

GRADE: B-