The Isle is a well-made, forcefully acted film from director Matthew Butler-Hart; he has co-written the screenplay with his partner Tori Butler-Hart – who also acts in the movie – and together they have created an intriguing work, modestly and intelligently conceived, a supernatural melodrama characterised by an eerie sort of restraint. There are hints of Shakespeare and classical and Scots mythology.
It is the mid-19th century and three sailors, Oliver (Alex Hassell), Jim (Graham Butler) and Cailean (Fisayo Akinade) are the only survivors of a terrible wreck. On their leaky lifeboat they have somehow made it over to a mysterious island off the Scottish coast, where the inhabitants clearly have terrible secrets and are strangely unhelpful when it comes to getting these men back to the mainland. They are Douglas (played by Conleth Hill, from Game of Thrones and Frank Skinner’s Blue Heaven) and Fingal (Dickon Tyrell); and there are two young women who are also stricken with dysfunction and fear – Lanthe (Tori Butler-Hart) and Korrigan (Alex Wilton Regan).
What is happening here? There are moments of hallucination and nightmare, but in some way the entire action of the movie could be seen as an extended bad dream. Butler-Hart shows great craftsmanship in his efficient use of location – he could even have afforded to be brasher in the scary moments, but I appreciated his cool approach.
This is the sort of British movie that I can imagine being made by Michael Reeves or Robin Hardy back in the 60s and 70s, drama that’s all about strong characterisation and heady atmosphere.
