Standard "Disease outbreak in remote area; expert who happens to be vacationing in the area takes charge" movie. There are only a few deviations from the norm. One is that the kids involved are pretty reasonable from the outset. Usually they are monsters who repeatedly gum up the works until they redeem themselves in the end. Another is that the local medicine man/witch doctor who is normally an impediment early on is never completely discounted or redeemed in the end. Perhaps since this seems to have been made for the faith oriented PAX channel, they didn't want to seem too judgmental about the faithful. Finally, there were no evil local politicians/leisure industry bigwigs trying to cover the whole thing up. The lack of these stereotypes was refreshing -- if we have the PAX channel to thank for that I may have to sample a few more of their offerings. Aside from that, however, this was pretty standard stuff. You've seen it all before.
16 Reviews
Play-it-safe virus thriller with no real guts
Leofwine_draca20 June 2015
THE PARADISE VIRUS is a dull epidemic-on-an-island TV movie from a director who really should know better. Brian Trenchard-Smith is a guy who made some highly entertaining B-movies back in the day (THE MAN FROM HONG KONG, TURKEY SHOOT) and he still makes the occasional schlocky masterpiece like AZTEC REX. Sadly, there's no gore, action, bloodshed, or exploitation in this play-it-safe film; thus the threat never feels real or particularly dangerous.
A female scientist and her family are vacationing in the Caribbean when the island they're staying on is hit by a rare virus which causes almost instant death in its victims. She must figure out a way to beat the threatened epidemic before the rest of the population succumbs. Sadly, what this all boils down to is some nice location photography on the Turks and Caicos Islands, and not much else.
Melody Thomas Scott is an average actress, supported here by the equally average Lorenzo Lamas, who turns out to be pretty boring outside of his action roles. THE PARADISE VIRUS throws in a handful of CGI effect scenes showing the virus spreading through the human body but it's fair to say they're pretty rubbishy looking. Elsewhere it's the usual B-movie fare, lots of people coughing and collapsing but the plot lacks the authoritative bigwig who usually acts as the film's antagonist.
A female scientist and her family are vacationing in the Caribbean when the island they're staying on is hit by a rare virus which causes almost instant death in its victims. She must figure out a way to beat the threatened epidemic before the rest of the population succumbs. Sadly, what this all boils down to is some nice location photography on the Turks and Caicos Islands, and not much else.
Melody Thomas Scott is an average actress, supported here by the equally average Lorenzo Lamas, who turns out to be pretty boring outside of his action roles. THE PARADISE VIRUS throws in a handful of CGI effect scenes showing the virus spreading through the human body but it's fair to say they're pretty rubbishy looking. Elsewhere it's the usual B-movie fare, lots of people coughing and collapsing but the plot lacks the authoritative bigwig who usually acts as the film's antagonist.
If they have to tell you how brilliant she is....
robertsmyre21 December 2021
If they have to tell you in the description how brilliant and beautiful the virologist is, chances are it's because the actress needs the assist to convince you. This "brilliant" woman has a voice that sounds like Minnie Mouse on helium and all the gravitas of Chuck-E-Cheese at a child's birthday party. Overall, the movie's watchable but you may have to not only suspend your disbelief, you may have to take it out back and shoot it.
Oh. My. God.
xAgelikiADDICTION6 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I ticked the "contains spoiler" box, in case I say anything that is a spoiler and don't realise I've said it until I re-read it after I've posted. So it's just in case.
Anyhow, back to reviewing this film.
I saw this film on skymovies earlier on this afternoon, and by the description Sky gives you (these people must be on acid) it sounded pretty good, but then when I actually got about 30 minutes into it, I was appalled. This film, in my opinion, has the worst scriptwriting and actors/actresses - ever. The young girl who falls in love with the boy from L.A after about 3 hours, is a really stupid, lame character, who has an annoying, whiney voice, and boff hair. -.-. Then there's her lover, who's an idiot, and is also very whiney. Actually, maybe they suit each other. Then there's the boy's mum, who's with him on holiday, and surprise, surprise - she's a doctor, and - oh my god, wait, there's even more unsuspected surprises! A virus suddenly breaks out on the island and she knows all about viruses! =O. SHOCK HORROR! Yeah, right. Lol. Then there's this insane religious lad, who keeps going on about "'erbs" or something, and how the Lord knows all. Everyone on the island seems to love him, yet he's actually a stubborn, arrogant, steroid-pumped (you really need to watch this film just for the scene where he comes out of the sea after a swim, his head is like tiny, and his body is MASSIVE. it's hilarious) buffoon who's had way too much to drink.
Anyhow, after all these weirdo characters, including a stoned-looking taxi driver, the religious lad finally gives in to the doctor, and she takes a blood sample, and they get straight to work on finding the cure from that, because for some reason he's dramatically been saved, all down to "'erbs and God". AND OH MY GOD. YES, THERE'S ANOTHER Surprise!! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT!! Just in the nick of time, with 11 minutes to go before everybody on the island drops dead in-fact, including her son and his girl, she finds the cure, and injects everybody, and it's all resolved!!! What a pathetic film. I mean, I knew it sounded an obvious ending from when I first started watching it, but I actually though it'd be good and have some sub-plot twists somewhere, but no-no, it was just boring and dry.
Don't watch this film. You'll end up like me - stunned for 3 hours and then demanding the hour and a half you spent of your life watching it back.
Anyhow, back to reviewing this film.
I saw this film on skymovies earlier on this afternoon, and by the description Sky gives you (these people must be on acid) it sounded pretty good, but then when I actually got about 30 minutes into it, I was appalled. This film, in my opinion, has the worst scriptwriting and actors/actresses - ever. The young girl who falls in love with the boy from L.A after about 3 hours, is a really stupid, lame character, who has an annoying, whiney voice, and boff hair. -.-. Then there's her lover, who's an idiot, and is also very whiney. Actually, maybe they suit each other. Then there's the boy's mum, who's with him on holiday, and surprise, surprise - she's a doctor, and - oh my god, wait, there's even more unsuspected surprises! A virus suddenly breaks out on the island and she knows all about viruses! =O. SHOCK HORROR! Yeah, right. Lol. Then there's this insane religious lad, who keeps going on about "'erbs" or something, and how the Lord knows all. Everyone on the island seems to love him, yet he's actually a stubborn, arrogant, steroid-pumped (you really need to watch this film just for the scene where he comes out of the sea after a swim, his head is like tiny, and his body is MASSIVE. it's hilarious) buffoon who's had way too much to drink.
Anyhow, after all these weirdo characters, including a stoned-looking taxi driver, the religious lad finally gives in to the doctor, and she takes a blood sample, and they get straight to work on finding the cure from that, because for some reason he's dramatically been saved, all down to "'erbs and God". AND OH MY GOD. YES, THERE'S ANOTHER Surprise!! YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT!! Just in the nick of time, with 11 minutes to go before everybody on the island drops dead in-fact, including her son and his girl, she finds the cure, and injects everybody, and it's all resolved!!! What a pathetic film. I mean, I knew it sounded an obvious ending from when I first started watching it, but I actually though it'd be good and have some sub-plot twists somewhere, but no-no, it was just boring and dry.
Don't watch this film. You'll end up like me - stunned for 3 hours and then demanding the hour and a half you spent of your life watching it back.
Don't waste your time on this one....
weesoulscotland1 June 2004
I watched about an hour of this movie (against my will) and couldn't finish it. I'd rate it as a 0. The writing was bad, the plot predictable and one that's been done far too many times. The most annoying part of this movie was the acting done by Melody Thomas Scott. This part did not call for someone appearing snobbish, but she managed in every single scene I saw to look like a (sour) snob or someone who was about to spout something extremely sarcastic or cruel.
The two romances which seemed to develop into something serious almost upon the couples meeting was a bit too much.
I should know better than to watch made for TV movies. If there is absolutely nothing on the telly and this is the only choice, read a book.
The two romances which seemed to develop into something serious almost upon the couples meeting was a bit too much.
I should know better than to watch made for TV movies. If there is absolutely nothing on the telly and this is the only choice, read a book.
Watch something else, don't tell me, I didn't warn you!
Clemicus2 January 2007
Warning: Spoilers
When I think about TV movies, I always think of this film, I have watched it a few times on Sky Movies, it was terrible.
Its been a long time, since I have seen this film, was just browsing, and came across it on here :-S.
A microbiologist (Linda Flemming), goes on holiday, with her son (William Flemming), at this holiday resort kinda place, they meet up with Paul Johnson (taxi driver / owns a bar?), and Kathy Johnson.
Its like a weird romantic thing, William starts to fall for Kathy, and Paul falls for Linda.
Some guy passes out in a street, he has some mark on his arm, Joseph (Joseph was a deep sea diver, who on some dive, saw a light, or something, and converted to religion), says he will take care of this person, there is a gap in my memory, then there is a wide out break of the virus, I think Linda offers her help, to come up with a cure, Kathy gets infected (William notices a mark on Kathy's arm), with the virus, also does Joseph.
Paul says some lines to Joseph, then Joseph stumbles away, the next time you see Joseph, he is cured some how, that information is used to cure the infected, then there is a beach party, the end.
Its been a long time, since I have seen this film, was just browsing, and came across it on here :-S.
A microbiologist (Linda Flemming), goes on holiday, with her son (William Flemming), at this holiday resort kinda place, they meet up with Paul Johnson (taxi driver / owns a bar?), and Kathy Johnson.
Its like a weird romantic thing, William starts to fall for Kathy, and Paul falls for Linda.
Some guy passes out in a street, he has some mark on his arm, Joseph (Joseph was a deep sea diver, who on some dive, saw a light, or something, and converted to religion), says he will take care of this person, there is a gap in my memory, then there is a wide out break of the virus, I think Linda offers her help, to come up with a cure, Kathy gets infected (William notices a mark on Kathy's arm), with the virus, also does Joseph.
Paul says some lines to Joseph, then Joseph stumbles away, the next time you see Joseph, he is cured some how, that information is used to cure the infected, then there is a beach party, the end.
It's really hard to see anything like that
rcd9912 April 2006
Unbelievable. I never saw something like that. Everything is bad; really bad. From photography (lots of scenes without focus!) to the acting (the young female is terrible). And what can we say about those helicopters made in Paint Brush...? Really amazing B, I mean, Z film.
The plot are bad, cliché and bad wrote. Basics conveniences to the screenplay seems to work. I can't even think a young student of cinema making this movie. Nothing justify it.
I recommend that you don't even think to see this movie. Sleep or play solitary are best choices. ;)
xxx
The plot are bad, cliché and bad wrote. Basics conveniences to the screenplay seems to work. I can't even think a young student of cinema making this movie. Nothing justify it.
I recommend that you don't even think to see this movie. Sleep or play solitary are best choices. ;)
xxx
My tolerance for bad films is high, but I just can't!
icocleric4 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I often enjoy bad films to watch and make fun out of, but this film has no charming or redeeming qualities. I'm stunned.
The acting is stiff, and terrible, the science is so bad and inconsistent with itself it's painful. There's dull romances. The special effects is so bad, that it's almost hilarious, and all of this I could forgive in a terrible film if it wasn't for the straw that broke the donkeys back.
So I was expecting a film about a "brilliant and beautiful virologist" to be the one who cured the virus. Not God. Which is done via a religious fanatic, who tells everyone that all they need to be cured is God. And he needs a lot of convincing to let them take a blood sample from him to find the cure, or everyone dies. Since saving everyone on the island isn't enough. He needs the other characters to be all like I was wrong, God's going to save everyone but we need help from a man who can hear him best.
Then in the space of 24 hours, they magical use some matrix coding effects to find the cure in the guys blood, produce a cure and cure the whole island in less than 24 hours. Including a trying to make this dramatic by showing tried people falling asleep to a ticking down clock they're working so hard.
They all thank God, a lot. Then everyone has a party. I am never getting this time back, or the time spending being angry about this film.
The acting is stiff, and terrible, the science is so bad and inconsistent with itself it's painful. There's dull romances. The special effects is so bad, that it's almost hilarious, and all of this I could forgive in a terrible film if it wasn't for the straw that broke the donkeys back.
So I was expecting a film about a "brilliant and beautiful virologist" to be the one who cured the virus. Not God. Which is done via a religious fanatic, who tells everyone that all they need to be cured is God. And he needs a lot of convincing to let them take a blood sample from him to find the cure, or everyone dies. Since saving everyone on the island isn't enough. He needs the other characters to be all like I was wrong, God's going to save everyone but we need help from a man who can hear him best.
Then in the space of 24 hours, they magical use some matrix coding effects to find the cure in the guys blood, produce a cure and cure the whole island in less than 24 hours. Including a trying to make this dramatic by showing tried people falling asleep to a ticking down clock they're working so hard.
They all thank God, a lot. Then everyone has a party. I am never getting this time back, or the time spending being angry about this film.
Absolute crap avoid like the plague
bbjoylove21 September 2006
I think i would rather have my piles clipped with a pair of rusty clippers than bear another 5 minutes of this movie. In fact i cannot even be bothered to go in to detail! Not sure how they managed to get the needles into the wooden actors to cure them! Better off for all concerned if they had just nuked the island after finding out about the virus, that way it would have lasted as long as the commercial break, and we could have moved on with our lives. Plus one more thing was this rubbish commissioned by the god channel? As all they seemed to do was praise the bleeding lord most of the time. Avoid like the plague! In fact i would prefer it!
The '69 Bollinger of outbreak movies
damianlebas10 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Before I saw this masterpiece I never would have guessed that a devastating and hideously contagious virus could be defeated by the use of Lutheran prayers... and "erbs". Ralf Moeller's performance is gargantuan; the realism incandescent. I was so inspired I'm flying straight to Zambibwia tomorrow to crack out the pesto and get my hands together for third world prosperity. God bless this film.
Seriously, I'm going to have to watch Troll 2 and Anus Magillicutty just to believe that it is possible to concoct more hamfistedly clichéd dialogue. It's so tortured that taking a cheesegrater to your knuckles might well be preferable to sitting through it. The only subtlety it manages to achieve is in its thinly disguised racism, as the poor islanders turn to ineffectual dumb-ass collective prayer which achieves nothing until the übermenschlich, linen-shrouded Teutonic hero Moeller, with his direct line to Yahweh, can provide a blood sample which the horn-blowing yankee scientists can get to work on and save the hapless natives. This movie sucks.
Seriously, I'm going to have to watch Troll 2 and Anus Magillicutty just to believe that it is possible to concoct more hamfistedly clichéd dialogue. It's so tortured that taking a cheesegrater to your knuckles might well be preferable to sitting through it. The only subtlety it manages to achieve is in its thinly disguised racism, as the poor islanders turn to ineffectual dumb-ass collective prayer which achieves nothing until the übermenschlich, linen-shrouded Teutonic hero Moeller, with his direct line to Yahweh, can provide a blood sample which the horn-blowing yankee scientists can get to work on and save the hapless natives. This movie sucks.
Great old Time movie
randymann0121 December 2019
Melody Thomas Scott escapes Y&R and ditzy blondism
SuMac14 February 2003
Man, is it great just to see Young and The Restless star Melody Thomas Scott as something other than flighty Nikki Newman! A doctor with a brain no less! And super nice to see her with the likes of the gorgeous Lorenzo Lamas instead of Victor Newman!
Mel plays a college professor of micro-biology who goes to the islands with her son for spring break, only to find herself a prisoner of the island infested with a rapidly spreading virus. Handy for her there is the hunky character played by Lorenzo, who has a daughter just her son's age.
Mel shines, as does Lorenzo with a bit of the overacting from the younger couple. Interesting premise in these times of chemical and biological terrorism talk. Worthwhile seeing, especially for Y&R fans.
Mel plays a college professor of micro-biology who goes to the islands with her son for spring break, only to find herself a prisoner of the island infested with a rapidly spreading virus. Handy for her there is the hunky character played by Lorenzo, who has a daughter just her son's age.
Mel shines, as does Lorenzo with a bit of the overacting from the younger couple. Interesting premise in these times of chemical and biological terrorism talk. Worthwhile seeing, especially for Y&R fans.
Wow
chevymun-29-22004812 April 2022
I have two problems with this movie. The first is the cover and the second is the credits. This movie starred Melody Thomas Scott. She was BY FAR the lead actor on this movie and yet the male co-star who was nothing more than a supporting actor was put in the front on the cover and his name came first in the credits.
Wow....
mojomastrblastr27 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Cartoon-like special effects, horrible acting and dialogue, and dry plot! This movie has it all! My friend and I went to blockbuster to find a horrible movie that we could make fun of, but this was just too much. The movie begins with a women and her son vacationing on a made-up island in the Bahama region. The women, who just happens to be a doctor/virologist, is in the area when a man collapses. He has a strange wound on his arm and she immediately knows that it is a contagious virus. The story goes on to show startlingly fast romance between the two teenage leads (this is justified by the girl saying "I know it's fast, but it just feels nice." ????) Anyway, the entire island gets infected with this virus and the CDC is brought in. We are told that within three months if the virus is not treated and contained that it will spread to the united states and kill millions of people. This information does not stop the CDC from leaving the island to save themselves. Thankfully the cure to this horrible virus is found just in time, and the entire island is saved. To celebrate the death of their loved ones, the island people have a smashing party where everyone is dancing, having fun, and forgetting about the horrible epidemic that just occurred.
Haters and movie snobs gonna hate
thesmoog13 January 2020
True, this isn't the greatest film ever made, and it's dollars to donuts never going to win an Oscar, but it's not all that bad of a film. The love stories are somewhat unbelievable, but the plot is okay, reasonably well-paced and it passes the time on a rainy afternoon.
A cheesy B-movie, which is exactly what I wanted! It did not disappoint.
infinitumd12 February 2022
Melody Thomas Scott and Lorenzo Lamas are great in this movie. The plot is typical, cheesy, light sci-fi and exactly what you'd expect from a Saturday afternoon movie of the week from PAX. Nothing too gory. Nothing too violent. And it's a love story! LOLZ
This isn't an Oscar winning movie, but it is light hearted fun on a Saturday afternoon and worth a couple hours of your life if you like B-Movies.
This isn't an Oscar winning movie, but it is light hearted fun on a Saturday afternoon and worth a couple hours of your life if you like B-Movies.
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