Poor old Irene Cara, who destroyed her short-lived film career by appearing in this dud of a production. It's a story set on a prison island occupied by various gangs, including brutal alpha males and a tribe of Amazons who throw their enemies off cliffs. Cara plays a wife accidentally thrown into the jail who then has to find a way to survive and reunite with her husband, but there's a surprise in store. This is very cheap, very cheesy, and tame by women-in-prison genre standards, with a lot of skimpy attire but little to no sleaze. It's also very boring.
3 Reviews
No Escape!
Pucki27 May 1999
This is an enjoyable, but unspectacular B movie which interestingly was made years before similar-plotted "No Escape". Irene Cara stars as innocent wife who accompanies her convicted terrorist husband to the laser-guarded prison island of Paradiso. When the couple is separated, Irene is picked up by a tribe of amazons which try to maintain some degree of civilization against the savage male prisoners. Trouble starts when the couple meets again and the beloved husband turns out to be equally vicious as the other men and finally convinces his meanwhile likewise imprisoned terrorist leader to attack the womens camp.
Nice photography, quite a good performance by Paula Bond, Irene does a bit too much whining and the end is not really convincing, but pretty OK fare for its price tag.
Nice photography, quite a good performance by Paula Bond, Irene does a bit too much whining and the end is not really convincing, but pretty OK fare for its price tag.
Lousy throwback movie
lor_8 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
My review was written in March 1990 after watching the film on Vidmark video cassette.
Originally titled "Paradiso", this futuristic prison pic is an okay throwback to a '70s drive-in favorite, "Terminal Island". It's acceptable fodder for the video market.
Stephanie Rothman's "Terminal Island" was notable (in retrospect) for teaming up Tom Selleck and Roger Mosely prior to "Magnum, P. I.". New film by Mike Snyder4 has the same basic premise: future incorrigibles are sent (by air drop, like paratroopers) to a penal colony on Paradiso Island.
New borderline sci-fi wrinkle is the island being patrolled by satellite with a laser weapon to zap anyone hitting the two-mile limit offshore. Shark-infested waters also help to keep 'em down on the prison farm.
Rather unconvincing plot line has Irene Cara volunteering to accompany her terrorist boyfriend to Paradiso when he's caught and sentenced to same. They're immediately separated, as prisoners are warring in tribal fashion. Action is pretty tame, with girls in animal-skin bikinis battling guys on an equal opportunity basis.
Ending is particularly phoney, as the technicians manning the laser gun feel sorry for Cara and don't blast her.
Originally titled "Paradiso", this futuristic prison pic is an okay throwback to a '70s drive-in favorite, "Terminal Island". It's acceptable fodder for the video market.
Stephanie Rothman's "Terminal Island" was notable (in retrospect) for teaming up Tom Selleck and Roger Mosely prior to "Magnum, P. I.". New film by Mike Snyder4 has the same basic premise: future incorrigibles are sent (by air drop, like paratroopers) to a penal colony on Paradiso Island.
New borderline sci-fi wrinkle is the island being patrolled by satellite with a laser weapon to zap anyone hitting the two-mile limit offshore. Shark-infested waters also help to keep 'em down on the prison farm.
Rather unconvincing plot line has Irene Cara volunteering to accompany her terrorist boyfriend to Paradiso when he's caught and sentenced to same. They're immediately separated, as prisoners are warring in tribal fashion. Action is pretty tame, with girls in animal-skin bikinis battling guys on an equal opportunity basis.
Ending is particularly phoney, as the technicians manning the laser gun feel sorry for Cara and don't blast her.
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