Creature films remain a dominant subgenre in the horror genre. The fear and terror that an often unknown entity can instill continue to spark our imaginations. The 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's Jaws reminds us of the tremendous impact this subgenre has had across generations. And, of course, the recent craze for Jurassic World Rebirth further reinforces audiences' desire to enjoy classic creature-horror films. In recent years, the concept of the antagonist has been put to the test. Can a creature truly be evil or simply misunderstood? This is a recurring question that some filmmakers have dared to tackle. For example, in Sean Byrne's Dangerous Animals, the antagonist isn't actually the creature—i.e., sharks—but a psychopath. Mike Wiluan's Monster Island follows a similar path. Yes, there is a monster involved, but is it truly evil? The film not only tests our age-old perceptions of good and evil but also deeply examines the challenges of survival. Monster Island reminded me of Scott Derrickson's The Throat; although treated very differently, the central idea of two individuals from enemy nations uniting to fight the unknown is quite similar. Monster Island is set in 1944, during World War II. The drama unfolds on a Japanese hellship that was transporting a Japanese traitor, Saito, along with prisoners of war. He was being taken to Japan to face capital punishment, and one of the ship's officers decided to chain him to a British soldier, Bronson, to make his life a living hell before reaching his destination. After being attacked by Allied submarines, the hellship disintegrated. Desperate to survive, the POWs and officers jumped into the sea, but most didn't survive. Saito and Bronson managed to swim to a nearby island. And guess what? There was a monster on the island! The film focuses on the essential human connection and how empathy often triumphs over hatred. And who knows, if it weren't for the monster, the two men might have struggled to find a reason to overcome their differences and get to know each other.
After witnessing the deaths of countless men, Saito realized the futility of war. He decided to risk his life to protect the soldiers in his division, because he didn't believe dying in war was glorious. It was clear that the Allied Forces had the advantage, and Saito lacked the conviction to encourage his men to continue fighting, even though he knew it would lead to their deaths. The nationalist sentiment had faded, and the harsh reality had become clear to men like Saito. Mike Wiluan shows both sides of the coin: on the one hand, Saito, a defeated Japanese soldier who felt the need to prioritize the individual over the nation, and on the other, Bronson, a British soldier who believed in war and was driven by the need to destroy his enemies. This contrast essentially captures the two extremes on a minuscule level. In a sense, Monster Island is a truly global film: the characters speak Japanese and English, the director is Singaporean, and it was filmed in Batam, Indonesia. The film's alternate title is "Orang Ikan," the name of a mythical creature from Southeast Asian folklore, roughly translating as "fish man" or "fish-man" in Malay and Indonesian. The monstrous creature featured in the film is a nod to its connection to Southeast Asia.
The plot isn't truly unique; similar ideas have been explored before, but as a creature film, the central theme was compelling. Rather than focusing solely on horror, the film attempts to reflect on the need for tolerance and emphasizes coexistence, humanity, and empathy. While the film's thematic focus is commendable, the narrative felt somewhat flat. Since the plot was predictable, the narrative needed some element of surprise or shock, and the lack of this makes Monster Island a forgettable film. The developing suspense was interesting until the monster was revealed. I couldn't ignore the idea that it looked like a man in a costume, which completely negated the intended fear. The dense forest could have heightened the fear of the unknown, but the sets didn't make the most of it. The film could have been even more captivating if we could have visually experienced the fatigue the characters would have experienced after being trapped on the island for days without sleep, and that alone could have generated a sense of panic and anxiety. But unfortunately, Monster Island follows a very conventional path.
Dean Fujioka, as the empathetic Saito, was convincing. The character is designed to be someone to root for, and he offers the audience a moral compass to cling to. Although he sometimes strayed, Saito had the clarity to distinguish between right and wrong. He didn't mind exercising dominance; during the war, his enemy considered him a threat, and all he hoped for at that moment was someone who understood and showed him empathy. Callum Woodhouse, as Bronson, perfectly captured the character's pragmatism, skepticism, and uncompromising worldview. His idea of survival was very different from Saito's; it was based on control and self-preservation. But the tension between their philosophies didn't result in conflict; instead, it helped broaden their perspective.
The highlight of Monster Island is undoubtedly the unlikely friendship between Saito and Bronson, but that's about it. The film doesn't have much to offer: thematically, it had potential, but the plot is familiar, the narrative is too simple, and it lacks the scares you'd expect from a horror film. Monster Island isn't a film I'd recommend, but if you're a fan of creature-themed horror, you might like it more than I did.
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