L'Île de Tous les Dangers

Insufferably bad made-for-TV thriller that tries to be a slasher movie without gore, nudity, atmosphere, or anything resembling quality production values. The script is full of exposition and clichés. The acting is pedestrian. The only person in the cast I recognize is the star, Erica Durance. Everyone else could've just stepped off the Greyhound bus the first day of filming for all I know. Anyway the plot has Erica getting married so she has a bachelorette party with her bridesmaids on a secluded Caribbean island. Because that's a thing someone would do. When the boat they chartered doesn't return to pick them up they realize they are stranded (cue dramatic music). Soon the girls start to disappear one by one. The question isn't who, how, or why but do you really care? I know I didn't. I like Erica Durance from Smallville and it was nice to see her in something else since she hasn't done much besides that. She's very attractive (especially in her bikini) and tries her able best to breathe life into the dead script. Seriously, watch how she tries to bring some energy to things while the other actresses just recite their lines in the most monotonous way possible. And they drone on and on and on because they have so many lines of pointless dialogue that add nothing to the movie. So I give Erica points for that but, to be fair, she's a limited actress and that really shows in the final act when things get intense (or this movie's impersonation of intense). What we're left with is a complete dud that only die-hard fans of Erica will be willing to suffer through. Talky, boring, predictable, and bland.

Though flawed in several ways, especially in the acting department, this made-for-TV flick does deliver mystery and chills. The film begins as if it were a night-time extension of the "The View," where Barbara Walters and a coterie of similar minds sit around exchanging so-called women ideas in meaningless chitchat. The viewer is anxious for the slashing to begin to eliminate these boring, inane persons, the motive for the killings being bad acting. Then director Kern Konwiser gets the show moving to become entertaining, worthwhile escapist fare.

The plot provides plenty of mystery and intrigue. It seems five attractive young women, really six but one stays behind for business reasons, are on vacation in the Caribbean. One is about to become a bride so her pals wish to treat her to an exciting getaway. As much as the women love men it is somewhat of a puzzle why they want to get away from it all and spend one day on a deserted island. But indeed they do. A rather scroungy, rude "captain" of a rather tattered boat who speaks only Spanish takes them to the isolated island with orders to return for them at the end of the day. Guess what? No show. The five damsels in distress must now fend for themselves until someone comes to their rescue. But who? No one knows where they have gone except the questionable "captain" who has now disappeared. Gradually, they discover they are not alone. Then one by one the women begin to disappear, reminding one of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None," beginning with five instead of ten. Fortunately, for those left wandering on the island, the sixth pal gets free from her business endeavor, flies to join them, then attempts to seek them out when she finds them missing.

Just when the viewer thinks he/she has figured out the mystery, a new element of suspense is introduced. There are clues given from the beginning so it is possible to unravel the mystery as the show progresses but it requires the viewer to pay close attention to details. Not of Agatha Christie stature; still not bad for a TV movie.

Where the film ultimately falters is in the acting department which is amateurish at best. The top performance is by Carlos Ponce who in reality has only a bit part as Chief Inspector Raddimus; yet he heads the cast, which says a lot about the others, most of whom are newcomers to the medium.

Stranded is a story about 5 scantily clad women who end up on an island. There are few surprises in the plot. The scenery is nice and the camera work lacks noticeable flaws to distract from the storyline. The acting and directing are average at best. I am blessed that I had reading material to entertain me while using this movie for background noise.The most redeeming aspect of this film is the skilled use of the "chicken cutlets". My time would have been better spent reorganizing my silverware drawer. It is no wonder that no member of this cast hasn't had steady work in the acting profession. Comedy would be a more appropriate genre to be assigned this film.

The movie opens with a scene depicting a man landing on an uninhabited island ,paying the boatman who dropped him off there and proceeding to a small ,delapited shack where he pins up the photographs of 5 beautiful young women.

Later we see those self same women arrive at a luxury hotel on a nearby island and are then taken to the island shown in the opening scene .They have been assured the boatman-its the same one -will return for them soon .He does not and the group are stranded on the island with the unseen stranger ,a man who clearly has fell designs on the group.They begin to unravel ,as the veneer of sophistication is stripped away and soon there are deaths .The one hope is a friend who arrives from New York and who may be able to track them down .

The plot is predictable and while decorative the leads are unlikely to win any acting awards .The good location photography is a decided asset in what is a moderate time passer but nothing more .The predictable script and obvious twist ending are liabilities but providing you do not expect too much this just about passes muster

Have you ever turned on the TV and found that there was a film on and even though you've missed the first twenty minutes you decide to keep watching? Well that's how I came across stranded. I have to admit that the young ladies were extremely good on the eye and the story line was familiar but what kept me watching was surprise surprise the acting. This film was not about good looking women running around an exotic landscape they could act!! I recognised the baddie from the film Hitch (Boy I need to get out more!!) but I did not recognise the leading lady as being on Smallville (Boy I need to stay in more!!). All in all I liked stranded and if I come across it in the TV listings or on DVD I will certainly give it a second viewing.