This Review Reveals Minor Details About the Plot.
TV sitcom meets the Twilight Zone
Plot Overview
There's something rotten
in the state of Denmark. The audience is clued in to there being a
dark side to an island adventure that five “winners” are
about to embark on. Their gracious host Mr. Roarke (Michael
Peña) invites them to live out their chosen fantasy, but they
must abide by two rules: There's only one fantasy per guest & they must
see it through to the end, no matter the outcome. The island has a way
of manipulating their dreams in unanticipated fashions.
Ideology
Mr. Roarke has the newly arrived guests
get a good night's sleep to start fresh in the morning. All except
for half-brothers J.D. (Ryan Hansen) Weaver and Brax (Jimmy O. Yang)
Weaver whose fantasy is to “have it all.” They start right
away with an all night rave. All the tempting flesh and fun they could
ever want, whatever their tastes. By and by, they are attacked by a
cartel. The good news is their fantasy mansion is equipped with a panic
room, and the gun locker with weapons. There's even a hostage rescue
attempt afoot from a parallel fantasy. The bad news is the cartel hombres
being supernatural cannot be killed, at least not with bullets.
When they call Mr. Roarke to complain, he shrugs it off saying that if they have it all, of course, someone is going to want to take it from them. We'll give them a jump start on, (Prov. 30:15) “The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give.” That horse has got a full load of blood that the leaches are going after all out.
Continuing: (Prov. 30:15-16) “There are three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is enough: The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.” Police officer Patrick Sullivan (Austin Stowell)'s fantasy is to enlist in the army. There he meets his hero dad only to discover he has feet of clay. Serving in the military may entail the ultimate sacrifice. The military grave is never full.
Businesswoman Gwen Olsen (Maggie Q) wants a redo. She regrets having turned down her lover Alan (Goran D. Kleut)'s marriage proposal five years ago. Her heart's desire is to have a family and raise a little girl. The island gives her her wish, but her adorable little Leila will tell her it's not allowed for her to come home with them. As much as she wanted to fill her barren womb, she is a society's child with more compelling obligations.
The troubled young woman Melanie Cole (Lucy Hale) wants to extract vengeance upon a hologram of Merideth her teenage tormenter. The bully had dumped a load of toilet water on her head, and she never got over it. Some sorrows are not cried out so easily, but she needs to “Grow up.”
A fire can spread over a broad swath. There are some traumatic events that shape the lives of a whole group of people so that their individual fantasies derive in one way or another, to a greater or lesser extent, from the same source.
Production Values
“” (2020) was directed by Jeff Wadlow. It was written by Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach. It's a horror adaptation of a popular 1970s TV program about a magical island resort. It stars Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, Parisa Fitz-Henley, and Michael Peña. Maggie Q, Austin Stonwell and Michael Rooker could give the rest of them lessons in acting. Peña was miscast as the island's host; he looked more like a bellboy than the big boss.
MPAA rated it PG–13 for violence, terror, drug content, suggestive material and brief strong language. It's technically below par to the extent of being forgivably camp.
Review Conclusion w/ Christian Recommendation
I liked it, but I'm an easy guy to please. It was fun to watch going with the flow of various fantasies melding together. I doubt if it will win any prizes, but it's worth the viewing if your tastes run to cheap horror flicks.
Movie Ratings
Action Factor: Weak action scenes. Suitability for Children: Suitable for children 13+ years with guidance. Special effects: Average special effects. Video Occasion: Better than watching TV. Suspense: Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall movie rating: Three stars out of five.
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