Congratulations to Eureka Entertainment for making this 1985 Hong Kong survival horror thriller available to international audiences for the first time. This is a brand-new 2K restoration, a delight to watch on Blu-ray, and the film is directed by British-Chinese filmmaker Po-Chih Leong, who unashamedly delivers a rip-roaring eastern take on cult US horror hits like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes.
The Island is a visceral and bloody thriller that takes place on a remote island (hence the name!) in East Asia. A small group of students has been taken to the island by their teacher, Mr Cheung (John Sham), seemingly solely because he believes the place to be uninhabited. How wrong he is, as viewers have already been introduced to the island’s only inhabitants, a family of three utterly deranged brothers and their no less crazy mother. It isn’t long before these two disparate groups of individuals encounter one another, and the hapless teacher and his students find themselves fighting for their lives to escape the madness that surrounds them.
The kids playing the students had never acted before, but this makes them more vulnerable as characters, and we genuinely worry about them as they battle to survive the tidal wave of terror that is hurled against them. These kids are not fighters by any means, but they have to dig deep within themselves to find ways to defend themselves as the gore increases. One of the producers of the movie is legendary martial arts star Sammo Hung, but there are no lavishly choreographed battles here – the fights towards the end are gritty and realistic, and all the better for it.
There are some particularly interesting extras included on this new release, not least of which is an appreciation of the film by Tony Rayns, acclaimed expert on Hong Kong cinema, who is as entertaining as usual. There‘s also a fascinating 2023 Q&A called Surviving the Shoot featuring, amongst others, director Leong, who in his 80s proves to be highly articulate and amusing as he recollects making the movie. There are also lively and informative commentaries on the film from experts like Frank Djeng and Mike Leeder.
The Island is presented in its original Cantonese language with newly translated English subtitles. It’s a highly recommended collector’s item.
THE ISLAND is now available on Blu-ray from Eureka Entertainment.
