Temptation Island

"Temptation Island" is easily one of the funniest, wittiest Filipino films I've seen. Filipino humor, in film at least, automatically means slapstick so to see witty humor by itself is a big deal, much less one done well. Dina Bonnevie, Azenith Briones, and Bambi Arambulo deliciously play catfighting beauty queens ultimately ending up fighting for their survival in, oh yes, baby … Temptation Island! Don't ask how the heck beauty queens end up in a deserted island, just enjoy this deliberately silly early 80's film featuring a very young Dina Bonnevie, still very much active in Philippine cinema and approaching icon status, and her future "love team" partner the late Alfie Anido. The hilarious crowd is completed by two studly studs, including the late Filipino male sex symbol Ricky Belmonte, a highly stereotypical tragicomic screaming queen, and the Filipino film staple, the oppressed house maid (played by actress Debraliz?). Directed by gay fixture Joey Gosiengfiao, the film is definitely not without its faults but it's fun while it lasts. No DVD copies exist as far as I know so good luck finding a decent VHS copy.

i caught it on late- night cable and thought it was utterly hilarious! i was in stitches from the beginning up to the very end of it. one of the campiest, most hilarious Filipino movies i've ever seen. it's "Lord of the Flies" with beauty queens, giant fried chickens, electric fans and plenty of toilet humor. the jokes were ahead of its time. and the acting was so bad, it's almost good! i definitely recommend "Temptation Island" to people who get a kick out of classic smörgåsbord flicks. watch it for its brand of twisted humor, the cheap special effects and the appalling performances of the four lead actresses in the movie. hope they'd also release a DVD.

Temptation Island tells the story of Four Beauty Queens of different background trying to vie a spot for Manila Sunshine crown. When the ship their in got wrecked, they are forced to survive and discover themselves with three men (a stowaway, a kept man, and a ship crew member) and the flamboyant gay organizer of the event.

This was mostly bad.

In general, it was all over the place. The comedy or satire does not stick. It never really find was does it want to comment on. Is it about poverty? Is it about sex? Is it about latent homophobia? It does not really know and it really drags. Most Comedy in the Philippine has this bent that really held itself back. It needs puritan and very Catholic, it needs to be playing up the gender roles AND this film just did that. The men are foils but oddly are the most powerful tool in the island. They killed the gay, they finished each story into morality tales AND they force their own twisted Hayes Code in the end - a return to domesticity for the women involved.

It is awful.

It has fun sight gags (the Desert Hunger scene was a bit fun) and did hit a good climax (the helicopter passthrough) but I do not think the bland sections and that horrendously pointless ending really stick anything together.

Performance wise, ehh. The script is far too weak and no one really made their roles interesting. I think Bambi Arambulo and Azenith Briones has the biggest roles/personality but really flopped to carry their character to anything noteworthy or nuanced. Its stock comedy characters with the charm being that they are prominent. In general, its Anido and Belmonte who stole show, even with such thankless and horrible roles.

Not recommended.

Temptation Island is hands-down the most hilarious Filipino film ever made, and that's a compliment. Sadly, like most Filipino films made before the '90s, it is not available on video, and can be seen only on cable every now and then. When it's on, watch it!