Tribe

I liked this movie. I was just flicking through my channels when I saw Rachel Blakely, I knew her from "The Lost World" so I decided to look at the movie. It was good, I couldn't stop watching it. It isn't like this brilliant show or anything but it held my attention. I stayed up until really late in the morning.I wasn't about to miss it because who knows when it would have been on again.

I wish they would show it on television again. I have only seen it that one time and would love to see it again. It is a nice little show and I would recommend others to watch it, just for a little fun. You might be able to predict some parts of the plot but it doesn't matter.

I managed to catch this three and a half hour (plus) made for TV movie in the wee hours of the morning on Lifetime Movie Network and I didn't even fall asleep! It featured a number of Australian actors (that happens when you film the movie in Australia) but there were a few recognizable actors, such as Antonio "Hubba Hubba" Sabato Jr. and Joanna Cassidy. I've always liked Joanna Cassidy; she is a quality actress and she doesn't disappoint in this one.

The plot is your typical "stranded on a deserted island" theme, except this island is loaded with booby traps left over by the Japanese in WWII. That was a nice little plot twist except that one can predict who's going to make it off the island and who's not. Well, at least I could predict it. I also had visions of Gilligan's Island dancing in my head when (according to the story) the rag-tag group managed to build very livable huts (with doors and beds no less) after just 3 weeks on the island! Wow, the professor would have been proud! One has to wonder why they spent those first 3 weeks building those wonderful living quarters instead of a raft which they could have used to get OFF the island, but hey, then the movie couldn't have lasted as long as it did. Some of the characters are also reminiscent of the Gilligan's Island castaways such as the character of Lucille, who starts out as a snotty yet beautiful Ginger-type then turns into a fledgling Samurai under the hallucinogenic tutelage of a dead Japanese soldier because she just happens to be fluent in Japanese (as well as Vietnamese) and managed to translate the dead soldier's diary. Talk about luck!

Plot holes aside, I liked this movie. The acting was good, the story wasn't bad (a little predictable) and if you ever have the chance to view it I would recommend it.

For certainly this mini TV film contains some of the best hunks from down under ever in one film. Many from the soaps.

The story lasts about 3 hours and tells of a shipwrecked group of young people surviving on a deserted island loaded with World War II Japanese booby traps. Not all survive.

Directed by George Miller, this 1999 adventure film is beautifully photographed in exotic locations in Australia. Add those beautiful men and you have a gorgeous picture. The acting is pretty good for an adventure yarn and is distinguished with the appearance of Joanna Cassidy, a fine actress in a sympathetic role of an older woman and younger man love affair. She's a joy to watch every minute she's on screen. Then there's the likes of that ever lovin' Antonio Sabato Jr as a young man bitter towards the Vietnamese, having killed his father and causing his mother to lose her mind. He falls for the young Vietnamese girl who also lost her family due to pirates attacking their fishing boat. Their love affair and marraige, including having a child through her being raped by a pirate, is both honest and touching. Fine work by both actors. Minh-Tan plays the Vietnamese girl.

Thaao Penghlis, as the older husband to Cassidy comes from the soaps as does Paul Leyden, another beauty, playing the younger man to Cassidy. Rachel Blakely plays the young woman who discovers a secret cave where she soon finds the diary of a Japanese soldier left there to die years ago. His ghost appears and she fantasizes their relationship.

As the villain amongst them, Craig McLaughlan is absolutely beautiful and from Australia too. He's totally convincing in the role and gets his demise soon enough. And there's Sister Margaret, played by veteran actress Beverly Dunn. She steals almost every scene. My only disappointment was in the casting of another Australian, Nadine Garner in the role of Marie. She seems out of place in this film and unable to match the charisma of those around her. Hard to believe she could be so dumb to fall for the villain as she does.

Anyway I'm being picky. This is a good film well done by the performers and director. The scenery and the men are well worth seeing.

Now, don't get me wrong, i gave it a chance...

I thought the Lord of the Flies type scenario could lead to an interesting plot. I was wrong, not in the traditional, "oh well, at least the cinematography was good", but in the more "OH MY GOD, argh, help, THEY STOLE 2 HOURS OF MY LIFE".

I may be overreacting, hang on, i'll check.... No i'm not, this is single-handedly the worst film ever made. The raft scene where the 'baddie' sabotages their escape for his own gain cracks me up, in fact the baddie himself, and the hero and oh god - its wrong. INCLUDING - the shameless attempt to add some plot with the rape pregnancy/suicide attempt part of the plot and even more cringing is the older woman (who only just lost her fella) almost loses her toyboy and falls in love scene - give me strength.

I swear - i would LOVE to meet anyone who liked this film and pay for their psychologist, coz it sucks, it just plain sucks, in the worst way...

(oh and where does the Spanish girl get swordfighting skills from?) pah!