Panic at Rock Island (2011 TV Movie) User Reviews

stupidity

[thomasbultman · 3/10 · 7 February 2012]

let me start off by saying that this movie literally made me angry. i've seen chimps acting smarter then some of the people in this movie. first off. the ministers not taking a virus threat serious. And their medical response team, in America if you just as much have a single symptom of a dangerous disease the CDC comes in and quarantines the hell out of it in 40 minutes. they clearly haven't done their research. its really frustrating especially since they clearly had a decent budget. all and all the acting wasn't half bad its the story writers who messed up

P.S Sorry for any grammar error's English isn't my first language

How embarrassment

[soundwright · 1 August 2011]

Even Kylie Mole would not be proud of this one. As an Australian I apologise and ask that every effort is made to limit collateral damage. I.e. innocent people outside of Australia viewing this in the hope of being entertained. This movie is so bad that it could actually suck the will to live out of the Australian film industry. It achieves this by being a blight on the resume of all involved. A bit like the nations that did not join in with the invasion of Afghanistan. Those not involved now look intelligent and have saved mountains of money by not touching it. Those who did not participate in this movie look good by default. I am genuinely sorry for the many young actors involved who could have spent the day serving tables and flipping burgers without suffering anything like the embarrassment that is to come for those associated with this movie. The only thing that could have saved it was the seasoned experienced actors, but they too contracted the perennial Australian disease of toxic over-acting and taking themselves too seriously. One episode of "Misfits" ,channel 4 UK, and you can see how TV productions can be done well.

Don't waste your time

[LOL101LOL · 1/10 · 25 July 2011]

I have said it before, Aussies can't make film's, even TV films stink, and this is another piece of rubbish. The acting is just like acting you see in Neighbours.

The storyline is just another copy of films we have seen before, nothing new in any sense, so why do they make stuff like this? No bloody idea! If they would have put in zombies due to the infection, then maybe I would have given it a better rating just for the gore and laughs, I just could not take this film serious in any way.

A solid 1 out of 10, with other words BLOODY awful mate!

And here is some text so my review will be put on the great IMDb.

Oi!

[Laakbaar · 6/10 · 5 October 2013]

The plot of this movie is that a highly infectious, particularly gruesome Ebola-like virus (originally designed as a biological weapon) breaks out at an island near Sydney during a rock festival attended by thousands of young people. Like "Outbreak" and other similar movies, we are shown the rapid spread of the virus and the increasingly desperate efforts of the authorities to take care of it.

Cliché themes are included probably because, well, that's what you include in movies like this. The panic. The hysterical girlfriend. The stupidly misunderstanding public. (You'd think people would have seen enough movies like this to understand the danger.) The self-serving hypocrisy of the politicians. There is a good deal of maudlin music swelling during deaths and reunions.

Let's not forget the disease control specialist whose own children are caught up in the outbreak. ("My children are on that island.") The determined mother who foolishly wants to do nothing except join her child. (Why do I always hate these women?) The heroic but stupid doctors who don't protect themselves. (At one point, he touches his face with his bloodied glove!) Occasionally, the movie lapses completely into unbelievability. Conspiracy theory buffs will enjoy this movie.

There is an Australian spin to it all. Cheeky, rebellious teenagers, of course. This is apparently not a country with a slick CDC procedure, if this movie it to be believed. No, in Australia, when this kind of thing happens everyone starts yelling at each other and emoting, television-movie style. Everyone. And the politicians, military and police are all rank bastards. I suppose that's an Australian thing.

Still, I didn't hate it. Once you accept what they're doing, it's easy enough to digest this Australian cheese. Outbreak movies are fun and easy to make, so why not. An added benefit is that you can always lay the blame on an evil corporation, the government or the military. These movies are aimed directly at our modern media-fed phobias about health and the environment.

Panic at Rock Island Brilliant Idea

[danterip · 10/10 · 6 August 2011]

The movie is great , fresh story , there was few more movies based on a viruses , but each movie is about zombies \ undead eating flash mutants . this one , is more realistic , you face a problem that can happen any time , you see how is the government react , its awesome , yes the movie is a low budget but its great , the story is fine , the effects are pretty good for the low budget , even the actors are fine , if anybody remember Cooter from True blood , the Werewolf leader? he's a great actor , anyways i am digging to much if you didn't seen this movie yet , you should . you won't regret , and you don't like movies but you like deadly viruses this movie is for you , if you hate both don't even try to watch!

Panic on rock island, reviewed as Pathetic

[djakkj47 · 24 July 2011]

Pathetic, obviously no research went into this especially how they conducted the autopsy, a grade 4 and they autopsies the way they did.

Only 2 police officers on the island to control crowd with. Few security officers, pathetic. Gee how did the bloke get into the tunnel without infecting anyone else on the mainland. Crap ending, another pathetic oz movie. Lots of discrepancies. We took the mickey out of it all the way through. Low budget, C grade acting, the pits. Low budget, worthless entertainment. Come on win you can do better than this. The story line was nothing and predictable. These type of virus movies have been round for years

Good Aussie Drama.

[whipthedog · 9/10 · 6 January 2012]

I often wonder about IMDb ratings. Like, how can someone give a movie a nine (like I did), and other reviewers, watching the same movie give it one. What do they expect??? The story was at least plausible, the acting was good, the direction, the camera work were all fine. I would never write a review about something I am not interested in. I suppose I could just consider them all crap and rate them a one. But I leave the rating to people that have an interest in that particular genre. All in all this is a pretty good effort. It was a TV movie for gods sake. It wasn't meant to resemble a Hollywood greenscreen action flick. If you want to pick holes, check out the latest Hollywood blockbuster at you local cinema.

Horror with an actual message!

[Michael_Takes · 9/10 · 31 July 2011]

This film is bloody brilliant.

Simply, coinciding with a music festival at Rock Island,a couple stumble upon a body in a tunnel that leads to the island. The tunnel however begins at AVP a research facility that has been creating diseases etc. as weapons. The couple get onto the island and then all hell breaks loose as the infection breaks loose.

The cast is terrific, and includes some of my favourite Aussie actors such as Grant Bowler, Damian Walshe-Howling and Vince Colosimo. All perform well.

The writers surely had some fun with this, and I loved the not so subtle attacks on the NSW government, politics and politician in general, and on big business, and how they can both get away with anything yet are obviously the cause of or ignorant to the problems faced by the people.

A thoroughly enjoyable film, and my only complaint is that its wasn't longer! This would have been terrific as a mini series!