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Survival Island

  • 2002
  • R
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
2.6/10
4.7K
YOUR RATING
Jaime Pressly and Nicholas Brendon in Survival Island (2002)
HorrorThriller

A group of teens on a remote island for a scavenger hunt accidentally unleash vengeful spirits from a cursed piñata and must fight to survive.A group of teens on a remote island for a scavenger hunt accidentally unleash vengeful spirits from a cursed piñata and must fight to survive.A group of teens on a remote island for a scavenger hunt accidentally unleash vengeful spirits from a cursed piñata and must fight to survive.

  • Directors
    • David Hillenbrand
    • Scott Hillenbrand
  • Writers
    • David Hillenbrand
    • Scott Hillenbrand
  • Stars
    • Nicholas Brendon
    • Jaime Pressly
    • Eugene Byrd
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    2.6/10
    4.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • David Hillenbrand
      • Scott Hillenbrand
    • Writers
      • David Hillenbrand
      • Scott Hillenbrand
    • Stars
      • Nicholas Brendon
      • Jaime Pressly
      • Eugene Byrd
    • 107User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos73

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    Top cast34

    Edit
    Nicholas Brendon
    Nicholas Brendon
    • Kyle
    Jaime Pressly
    Jaime Pressly
    • Tina
    Eugene Byrd
    Eugene Byrd
    • Doug
    Casey Fallo
    • Monica
    • (as Kasey Fallo)
    Nate Richert
    Nate Richert
    • Jake
    Garrett Wang
    Garrett Wang
    • Paul
    Lara Wickes
    Lara Wickes
    • Lisa
    • (as Lara Boyd Rhodes)
    Ed Gale
    Ed Gale
    • Piñata
    Julia Mendoza
    • Carmen
    Aeryk Egan
    • Larry
    Daphnee Duplaix
    Daphnee Duplaix
    • Julie
    Robert Tena
    • Bob
    Tressa DiFiglia
    Tressa DiFiglia
    • Connie
    • (as Tressa di Figlia)
    Syante Villa
    • Shaman
    Manny Twofeathers
    Manny Twofeathers
    • Piñata Maker
    Joaquim de Almeida
    Joaquim de Almeida
    • Narrator
    • (voice)
    • (as Joaquim DeAlmeida)
    Scott Hillenbrand
    • Detective 1
    • (as Scott Brandon)
    David Hillenbrand
    • Detective 2
    • Directors
      • David Hillenbrand
      • Scott Hillenbrand
    • Writers
      • David Hillenbrand
      • Scott Hillenbrand
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews107

    2.64.6K
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    Featured reviews

    1Enrique-Sanchez-56

    It took me exactly 15 minutes to decide...but I was curious!

    I think the introduction was the best part of the movie. Yes, that part where you have to be spoon fed an explanation about you are seeing (because the director thinks it's a novel idea!) Plainly, no one actually needs this explanation. I think it makes good decoration.

    One thing surprised me. The visuals of the "natives" and their relationship to the piñata were interesting to watch, "most" of the time. The quality of the whole thing had that professionally rehearsed quality that you beg for in a cartoon.

    If it weren't for that introduction, I may have not stayed over the 15 minute mark to see what this movie was all about.

    The transition from the actually better-than-it-deserved intro-music to the MINDLESS GRUNGE sound of those inane rock guitars was my first indication that I was about to turn this movie off in a few minutes.

    Then, the water gun games between the rafts. Wow, that was so compelling. The minutes were ticking. My palms were getting wet and sticky. But I forged on!

    Then came the earth-shattering character development scene about a Port-O-Potty! I was breathless with anticipation. What could they think of next?

    Then, believe it or not! That grungy music again! Oh, I was captivated!

    After this, I had to make a life-changing decision. Would I stay or go?

    OK...I stayed. Then, more character development about young people smoking pot. Folks, this was deep! You gotta believe me, here!

    Then, of course comes the discovery of the awe-inspiring Piñata from hell! What does our hero do? He hits it with a stick, of course! What else would any self-respecting dude-about-town do in a situation like this?

    And then.......

    YOU GUESSED IT! YES!

    IT came to LIFE!

    And then why NOT spoil it? The rest of the plot resembles the Friday the 13th genre, of course. Pick them off, one by one...oh the TENSION, the DRAMA...the utter "grippingness" of it all!

    The unanswered questions, the doubts, the comic relief...oh, the sheer artistry...

    The UTTER, UTTER, uselessness of it all!

    (CLICK)
    1jhs39

    So bad it's painful

    Poor Nicholas Brendon. While his other Buffy castmates get to do theatrical films he is stuck in this straight to video abomination so awful everyone involved should actually be ashamed. The monster is particularly embarrassing--a computer generated thing that looks like it stepped out of a video game and almost never interacts with the live actors, making it seem even more fake. The idea of a killer Pinata might have offered some campy fun if the thing actually looked like a Pinata. The only film I've seen recently that was comparably dreadful was House of the Dead, which I actually walked out of when I was foolish enough to pay and see it in a theater. Movies like this really make you long for the return of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
    1yojimbo999

    So, so bad

    How bad is this movie? It's so bad that it doesn't even have any decent gratuitous nudity. They have a hot babe in Jaime Pressley running around an island in a midriff baring shirt, but no skinny dipping scene? Blasphemy! Worst, the movie is pitifully stupid and amateurish.
    sparklecat

    About What You'd Expect

    College co-eds are stalked by an evil pinata in a tropical paradise! A premise like that could be the makings of a cult classic.

    Alas, "Pinata: Survival Island" seems neither inspired nor clumsy enough to reach that status. The film DOES qualify as an obscure horror hoot, especially in the early scenes of the wicked pinata's reign of terror.

    "Buffy"'s Nicholas Brendon is always a welcome presence, but there's little to his role here, compared with your average BtVS rerun.
    1danabunner

    Stunningly Awful

    I don't understand why this movie isn't on the Worst 100 list. I've seen 7 movies on that list, and this one is worse than any of those. If I gave a 10th grade class an assignment to create special effects and they turned in the ones in this movie, I might feel sorry enough for them to give them a D. I hope they didn't pay the special effects team more than $500. Not only are they embarrassing poor, the animated figure doesn't look like the costumed figured used in the close ups.

    Meanwhile the acting is so stiff that one is left wondering if the final footage came from the 2nd or 3rd reading of the script. Or if the script was simply being written an hour before the filming.

    If you are looking for a silly horror movie to watch with a group of friends for laughs, this is a very good candidate. On that scale, I would give it an 8.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The movie was originally shot with no computer effects for the monster, just an actor in a rubber suit. The final cut was deemed not scary enough, and all the computer effects for the creature were added.
    • Goofs
      The tent is one color when the piñata grabs Lisa, and a different color when it pulls her inside.
    • Quotes

      Lisa: Monica, I need to pee.

      Monica: Just hold it in.

      Lisa: I have been waiting for over an hour.

    • Connections
      Featured in I Hate Everything: the Search for the Worst: Demon Island (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      One Last Fiesta
      by Rick Hromadka

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    FAQ14

    • How long is Survival Island?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 14, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Demon Island
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Clarita, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Hill & Brand Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 25 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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