TheLittleSongbird Review of Monster Island

Monster Island (2004 TV Movie)

While I knew what the movie was trying to do, it just didn't work for me...

[4/10 · 23 March 2013]

It wasn't as if I was deliberately trying to hate the movie, far from it, and I never try to do that watching any movie as I believe in being fair and encouraging when watching and critiquing. Any movie that aims to be a homage or poking fun at anything does promise to be good entertainment, and actually despite having Carmen Electra Monster Island did seem as though it would be one of those movies. Even when taking it for what it is though, the bad execution just took away from my enjoyment of the movie. It does have redeeming qualities of course, the production design is decent, the music score rousing, Adam West is a lot of fun even if hammy and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is very endearing here. However, I didn't like the look of the special effects at all, the monsters(looking at home in the 50s era but seem laughable now) seemed half-finished and fake, and actually I do agree with the commentator that wasn't sure about whether they were trying to honour or poke fun at those of Harryhausen(which I have always found amazing for their time and ones that still hold up). Some will like the tongue-in-cheek humour, for me the dialogue was lacking in wit and in freshness too and came across as awkward instead, the stupidest line going to West as outlined in a previous review. The story seemed stretched and contrived, with the horror elements ranging from tame to non-descript, while the characters are cardboard and irritating. Aside from West and Winstead, the rest of the acting is bland. That is especially the case with Carmen Electra, contrary to what was implied in the marketing she is only in the film 15-20 minutes and she doesn't do anything other than try and look pretty. Just in case I get flamed(and knowing the type of movie Monster Island is I know eventually I will do), I understand totally what Monster Island was trying to do, I just felt that it tried so hard that everything to make a homage/parody work just got lost. That is of course my opinion, and if you think differently(and I can completely understand if that's the case) that's fine, I have nothing against you. In conclusion, even when taking into account what Monster Island was trying to do I didn't care for it at the end of the day, sorry. 4/10 Bethany Cox