FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.
StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Bea Swanson This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.
Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
movieman_kev Julia & Steven Harris visits Julia's parents on an island, but their untimely visit sparks intense violence after the youngest son of the Savage clan is struck and killed by Julia's brother while driving them back to the house. Now the grieving family of hillbillies want a baby to replace the one killed, namely Julia & Steven's one and will stop at nothing to get him.This movie surprised my with how good the movie was. Despite some horribly grainy nighttime shots and an lazy abrupt bs ending, I enjoyed the movie. It was also surprisingly well-acted for a film of its ilk.Where I saw it: Instant Netflix
Backlash007 ~Spoiler~ I just finished Savage Island and I'm stunned by all of the positive reviews here. I read about this flick in Fangoria and had been wanting to see it for a while. Maybe that's why, when I finally found a copy, it failed to live up to any expectations that I may have had. It's quintessentially a bad retread of ground already covered brilliantly in Deliverance and The Hills Have Eyes. Here's the familiar plot: A family cross paths with some backwoods hillbilly "savages" and are forced to become savages themselves. It's one groan after another as our "hero" does something completely dumbfounding time and time again. There's one scene in particular involving a cell phone that takes place much later than the first hillbilly attack. So they had a working cell phone the whole time their family was in danger, and nobody thought to call the police?? There are other annoying plot elements (and characters), but I'll leave them for the viewer to discover. Finally, the whole shot on digital thing really bugs me unless it's doctored somehow to look more like film (Starship Troopers 2 is a fine example of this). I just hate the way it looks. I know it's the cheap way to go, but look at all those great 80's films made with a shoestring budget. On a positive note, the actors were better than what we're all used to in these projects. Much better for the most part. The ending of the movie will either have you laughing hysterically or throwing objects at your television.
brennan79 I finally got around to seeing this after hearing great things about it. It actually exceeded my expectations. Considering the budget involved this was a surprisingly competent and well-made film. The lack of finances actually helped this film in several ways, especially given the plot. Just like The Blair Witch Project, this film was all the better for being shot on video instead of film. Another bonus: Whereas most low-budget horror films (even the best of the best) suffer from mediocre-to-unintentionally hysterical acting, this film actually had a talented cast (save one or two characters), particularly the two leads. The only thing missing from the film was an original storyline. It borrows heavily from better-known films like "Deliverance" and "Wrong Turn" but if you're like me, films of this nature never cease to be terrifying. Plus, the director keeps things interesting throughout. I'd be very interested to see what the director would do with a bigger budget and I have a feeling it will only be a matter of time before we find out...
Joseph P. Ulibas Savage Island (2003) is a lame movie. It's more like a home video shot with very minimal lighting and horrid acting. Not only that the storyline and script was wretched. I don't know why this movie was made. I have seen a lot of flicks in my time and the ones I really hate are movies that make me angry. This one made my blood boil. The situations were inane at best. If I made a movie like this it would have been a short. Really because those backwood "idjits" wouldn't have been in the picture.Don't be fooled by the cover on the D.V.D. I am an avid watcher of bad cinema. But this movie is virtually unwatchable. I don't mind movies being shot on D.V. but if you're going to do that make the movie enjoyable, not some tired retread of superior horror films (sans Wrong Turn).I have to not recommend this waste of disk. If you come across this one in the rental store pass on by.Movies that make yours truly angry get an automatic 1.
