It’s WW II. South Pacific. A Japanese ship is hauling POWs in chains to a labor camp. One of their own soldiers has done some sort of no-no and is also in shackles. He’s attached to an American GI for shared punishment. Ship bombed. They may be the only survivors, waking up on an unknown island, which just happens to be appropriately nicknamed MONSTER ISLAND. Neither speaks the other’s language. Both fear the other will kill them. Not exactly a chummy Crusoe and Friday, or Hanks and Wilson, pairing for an adventure. But the two have to reach a truce to stay alive.
Some cargo and bodies wash ashore, providing supplies. The island is uninhabited… at least by humans. They soon learn that the eponymous killing-machine beastie would call it home if it could talk, and is quite hostile to uninvited visitors. A few other survivors of the sunken ship show up. Our tentatively bonded protagonists, Saito and Bronson (Dean Fujioka, Callum Woodhouse – you can figure out which is which) hide and observe, since both are deemed enemies of the Empire. From one of the others we learn that the monster is known in the region as Orang Ikan. Though the name seems apelike, it’s a humanoid reptilian who kills not for food, but for being annoyed by trespassers. Surly to bed; surly to rise…
The screener I watched has no subtitles for the Japanese dialog, which actually adds to the eeriness of the proceedings for those of us who don’t speak it, since we don’t understand any more than Bronson does. The process of building trust and cooperation between enemies without a common language is awkward and suspenseful, as the two scramble to avoid or kill the eponymous monster. The premise adds humanity to the gorefest unfolding before us.
For a low budget production, there’s a lot to appreciate. The Indonesian jungle and beach settings are used to excellent advantage, lending variety to the action. The two actors deliver fine performances in this challenging situation. The guy in the creature suit isn’t fully shown long enough to look as cheaply crafted as it probably was. The killings are gruesome enough to turn many stomachs. The plot is largely formulaic, but the tension and danger elements play out well in the hands of writer/director Mike Wiluan, whose resume wearing both hats has been mostly in horror and action.
This won’t reach the heights of popularity that the ALIEN or PREDATOR franchises have achieved. But it’s still a respectable entry into the genre.
MONSTER ISLAND, in English and Japanese without subtitles, streams on Shudder beginning on Friday, July 25, 2025.
RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars
