Fantasy Island

Starring:Michael Pena, Maggie Q., Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Jimmy O. Yang, Portia Doubleday, Ryan Hansen, Michael Rooker, Parisa Fitz-Healey, Mike Vogel, Kim Coates, Robbie Jones, Charlotte McKinney
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of vacationers arrive on Fantasy Island, a destination that promises you the chance to live your fantasies. They soon discover that their fantasies don't play out like they imagined.

Review:
Tim: There's a lot of things we didn't need in 2020 and among them is a Fantasy Island horror film adaptation. This is one of those things where you just kind of scratch your head. Those who remember the original television series from the late 1970s (we never watched it in my home) would likely not be interested in a scary horror-filled remake. And, for most of the demographic this was aimed at, the 70s television series would be meaningless. It was only because of Covid-19 wrecking the box office that this film managed to clock in as the 12th highest grossing film of the year. That's just numbers, though. What matters is quality and this film doesn't deliver there, either.

I sort of liked the insane ambition of this film. It's a small horror movie, yes- but they expected us to believe there's a magical island that can magically grant people their fantasies, but it also is filled with horror and intrigue. I mean... that's a lot for a 1 hour, 49 minute horror film. It never fully makes sense, but Jeff Wadlow's film fully commits to this absurd premise. I give it credit for going all in on a concept that is a bit wonky. It doesn't quite work out, but the attempt was there. What's interesting is that for the beginning of the movie, I was actually somewhat invested. Sure, the acting wasn't top notch, but it set up a nice mystery. We're introduced to a cast of characters, each with their own complex history and different personalities. They randomly come together on this secluded island. There's actually some worthwhile concepts being explored there. I was decently entertained. However, as the movie progresses, the story continues to stretch our credulity. Eventually, I started to groan and roll my eyes. It's too much, too much of the film doesn't make sense, and at a certain point, you recognize you're just watching another disappointing horror film.

The cast wasn't bad, actually. I genuinely like Michael Pena and I thought he did well in his role here. This isn't the kind of role that leverages Pena's greatest strengths, but it must have felt like an interesting departure for him. I don't fault him for embracing this role. Maggie Q is just not a very good actress, I firmly believe that. She was perfectly adequate here. Lucy Hale was interesting- she brought a ton of energy to her role and her comedic timing was impressive. I mostly enjoyed Hale's performance in Truth or Dare (another horror movie with a weak concept) and the same can be said here. She's not always great in the role, but she's fully committed and her charisma and energy lift the movie up. She's one of the few here who elevated her role. Austin Stowell was fine, but it feels like this type of role is the ceiling for him- a bland role in a bad horror movie. I wasn't impressed with Portia Doubleday, either. I saw her in the Carrie remake and she was unremarkable. Her performance here was too big- she hurts the movie more than helps it. Jimmy O. Yang and Ryan Hansen were great- they brought levity and humor to the film, which was badly needed. Their roles were ridiculous, but I loved the fun they were obviously having. I wish Michael Rooker had more to do and appeared in a better film, but Rooker is great at this kind of role and he makes the movie better. I also loved seeing Mike Vogel here. I haven't seen him since Under the Dome ran off the rails, but I like Vogel and think he deserves to have a solid career. His performance here is effective and memorable. It's definitely a highlight. I thought Kim Coates added a nice supporting performance, too. The cast as a whole isn't great, but it's probably slightly better than you'd expect for a film like this.

Somewhat surprisingly, while watching the movie, I felt like I could almost see how this movie could have worked. It doesn't and is ultimately a failure, but there were moments where you could fuzzily make out what a decent Fantasy Island horror movie might have looked like. Unfortunately, the script is ultimately too weak. It also makes me question Jeff Wadlow. I thought he showed promise with the solid Kick-Ass 2, but Truth or Dare was disappointing and Fantasy Island is even worse. Ultimately, this film never gives us a reason for it to exist. It's a failure.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 5.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Truth or Dare, The Beach, Shutter Island, Old