TOMASBBloodhound By all means, read Peter Benchley's novel. It's a shame what he had to do to his story in order to get it filmed into this odd Michael Caine swashbuckler. Caine (terribly miscast, but still entertaining) plays an investigative journalist who travels with his son to the Bermuda Triangle in hopes to figure out why so many yachts have been vanishing in the region. They aren't there long before the two of them are taken prisoner by a colony of pirates who have been undiscovered for centuries! Yes! They are descendants of Long John Silver or Jack Sparrow, even. They have some modern weapons, but anything new they have is just what they've stolen from local pleasure craft. The mysteries behind how they've remained undetected by the authorities for so many years are not explained by the film, nor is the structure of it consistent in any way. There are some memorable scenes, and some decent action (the finale is a terrific burst of rage and mass-murder), but it looks like the editing room ruined what could have been a better movie. Bits of plot and possibly helpful exposition seem to be missing. Caine's relationship with a female pirate is much more detailed in the book. She is allowed to keep him alive until he can impregnate her with a healthy baby. Caine actually killed her husband while the pirates were taking he and his son hostage. Caine's boy is taken under pirate leader David Warner's wing and groomed to be an eventual leader, himself. So many of these details are not thoroughly explored by this script. Benchley likely had to grin and bear it and hopefully cashed a nice check. There are some performances that elicit chuckles, and some scenes do, as well. But this film is awfully gory at times, and that seems to offset any humorous tone that so many good action films sustain. There is one particularly ludicrous scene in which one victim on a yacht the pirates have just taken uses some odd kung fu moves to hold them at bay before being gutted. The finale takes place aboard a Coast Guard ship which ventures too close to their dreaded island colony. And yes, these pirates have what it takes to take an entire coast guard ship, killing the crew, but then a few moments later are wiped out by only Caine! Its a fun scene, impossible though it may be. Youtube has it. Just type in Michael Caine the Island 1980 and you can see him mow these scuzzy guys down. Even though logistically it does not appear likely that a .50 cal machine gun mounted in that position could hit anyone on the deck immediately below it! Overall, the Island coulda and shoulda Been done better. Michael Ritchie had much better films that this. I love Michael Caine and David Warner though so I'll be generous and give it 6 of 10 stars. The Hound.

Diane Ruth This is quite simply one of the worst motion pictures ever made for the big screen. Michael Ritchie was lucky he was ever allowed near any kind of camera after directing this cinema abomination. The story is utterly ridiculous and the script a total piece of absurd trash. Peter Benchley made a fortune writing mindless garbage but this is the very nadir of his limited talent. While Michael Caine is always able to rise above the horrible films in which he has periodically appeared, that was not the case with this abysmal effort. Caine has never given a really poor performance except in this unholy turkey. It's as if he lost all sense of what he is as an actor or even as a human being and became a horror movie clown suddenly. A lifetime ago I paid to sit through this cinematic waste and was stunned by the ineptitude, the embarrassment, the unpleasantness, and stupidity that flickered before my eyes. It was and is awful beyond all comprehension. There is no way one can grasp the purpose of this movie except everyone involved wanted to make a fast and easy buck. Of all the films ever produced, this is one of those rare ones that lacks any redeemable value at all and is absent all merit. There is no excuse for this thing and everyone involved should feel deeply and eternally ashamed for not only participating in this film's production but especially for inflicting such ugly, disturbing swill on audiences wishing for nothing more than escapist entertainment.

Neil Welch Blair Maynard, seeking to reconnect with his young son Justin, takes him on a Caribbean cruise to research Bermuda Triangle disappearances. Unfortunately, they discover an explanation - a lost band of descendants of 17th century pirates who take Blair into slavery as a breeding source of fresh genes, while Justin is brainwashed into becoming the "son" of the pirate leader.After Jaws became a massive-selling book and then a box office movie smash, Peter Benchley was flavour of the month for a while. The Deep followed, less successfully, and then The Island, which more or less put paid to Benchley's career as a source of movie ideas.It's not entirely clear why. The idea is not a bad one and, in Michael Caine as Blair and David Warner as the pirate leader, it has two potentially good leads (albeit Caine was going through his phase of taking any part as long as there was a decent pay cheque attached to it).Although the film is a fairly good adaptation of the book, it is no fun at all. It is very violent and purports to be adult (as was the book) but doesn't feel credible. Had it been played as a family-oriented adventure rather than almost-horror, it might have worked better.

callanvass One thought kept occurring in my mind frequently while watching this movie. What the f****k was Michael Caine thinking? I've read this has developed a cult following over the years, and I have one thing to say to you. Stay away from me! I cannot fathom as to why anyone could garner enjoyment from this movie. As soon as David Warner appears in the Pirate get-up, I knew it was all downhill from there. There are so many questions I have. How could a kid get so easily brainwashed by these blithering idiots? It happened way too fast for my liking; not to mention that the kid is incredibly irritating. I also have a problem with the direction of Michael Caine's character itself. He is supposed to be the hero in this movie, but he is perhaps the most unlikable of all. Caine looks thoroughly ashamed to be in this movie, and gives a rare, one-note performance. I don't blame him a bit for phoning it in here, the man has bills to pay like all of us, but he was absolutely awful. The pained expressions on his face told the whole story. David Warner is good at playing eccentric roles, but he is laughably bad here. I think he knew what a piece of crap he was starring in, and decides to ham it up like no tomorrow. Are you convinced yet? Wait until you see the chaotic finale that involves a Machine Gun! Final Thoughts: I have one suggestion for all of the people involved in this atrocity. "Walk the plank matey and never return" OK. That's a bit harsh, but I couldn't resist throwing in a lame pirate reference. David Warner is a good character actor, and Michael Caine is a legend, but this movie is legendarily awful. Michael Caine regrets it, and so will you. 2.5/10