Movie Review - Paranormal Island

Paranormal Island

2014

Caretaker Production Companies / Full Throttle Pictures

Cinidigm / VMI Worldwide

4.75 / 10

This wasn't going to be anything more than your everyday garden-variety horror film, especially after you read the blurb.  Three college students take jobs at the club on the man-made island to earn a little cash, however, Mike has heard the rumours of strange ghostly happenings on the Island and sees a chance to get some extra credit for his forensics course.  This is the first of many holes in the story - Mike is doing a forensics course with an inclination for disproving the paranormal...  Since when, and in what world, has the plea of the "The Ghost Killed Them!!!" or "The Devil Possessed Me!!!" ever been a truthful, credible, and winning defence.  Then later in the film, he claims this job is a "Normal Job" - Yeah Right!

These bad lines actually go to show how good the acting abilities of the cast are as the leads are quite believable in their portrayals... and they never appear to be on the verge of laughing their heads off with some of their lines.  I was actually hoping the film would be better than it was since Briana Evigan, who play's Ivy, was staring.  Unfortunately, not so much if you're a bloke, I think she may have been chosen for the part because she looks great in a skimpy bikini.  However, her acting skills, along with Randy Wayne as Mike, Lance Henriksen as Carl, and Sarah Karges as Lori, help to keep this from being too bad.

There is just as much good as there is bad in the film.  I liked the fact that even though you've seen similar movies they chose not to give you your stereotypical teenagers.  These guys don't stay behind on purpose they are accidentally left behind after closing - too many films would have had them hiding away waiting for everyone to leave.  Then writer and director Marty Murrey does the obvious and gives you the ghost of Ivy's baby sister, who was drowned on the lake with their parents, and she helps them try to escape - you know this is coming as soon as the accident is mentioned.

Then there's the abysmal acting of Ben Elliott, playing Jerry, who is so wooden his second job is as a sideboard.  Worst still is Tony Valle as the DJ, Andy; this guy needed some serious direction for his character as he seems to be all over the place.

Though, by far, the worst thing about the film is the caretaker's ghostly apparition.  The special effects are pitiful.  I can't believe that in this day and age they couldn't have found someone to do a better job on the tight budget.  Most six-year-olds are quite decent with CGI, maybe one of the crew's kids could've come up with something.  Also, why did they bother at all since the spectral image of Ivy's sister was just a normal little girl in grey?  Also, the opening scene that takes place in the past is badly shot using sepia and a heavy vignette focus; all that was missing was the cinema lines and noise effects.

If you're new to horror films and are wanting to break yourself in easy then you could give this a shot.  If you're a fan of horror then you're going to watch this even if I warn you against it because Lance Henriksen stars.  Just be aware that it does slow down to a near stop around the midpoint, but it does pick up again, though it never quite reaches nerve tingling excitement.