L'isola della paura

Widowed man (Priestley) with his second wife (Roth) and daughter from his first marriage take a boat ride and get into a storm, which destroys the craft and puts them in the wilderness for a few days. Bear chases them; second wife turns into survivalist capable of doing just about anything. Bratty daughter learns some lessons in how to behave. It's been done before and better. The film is not terrible, but it's not all that great. The acting is mediocre, writing is mediocre, scenery is beautiful, bear is scary. I'm still trying to figure out how the woman and guy's daughter manage to find heavy weight hiking boots to traipse through the woods after the boat crash. Who wears heavy-duty leather hiking boots on a boat ride? Perhaps this is explained somewhere and I just nodded off at the time.

Family in Danger is the plot for "Courage," a 2009 Lifetime movie starring Jason Priestley, Andrea Roth, and Genevieve Buechner.

Priestley plays a widower named Robert who has remarried Teresa (Roth). He is also an author who has written a book, "How To Date Brainy Women." Naturally his teenage daughter Christy (Buechner) is a resentful brat who doesn't like Teresa.

Robert suggests the family head for Bear Lake in their boat. A huge storm comes up, and Robert disappears. The two women find him, but they have pretty much wrecked the boat, and Robert has an infection in one leg and the other leg is broken. Teresa retrieves their supplies from the boat.

It turns out that Robert is married to Superwoman. She builds fires from cell phone batteries, she makes a stretcher when they have to move Robert, she applies first aid to him.

You name it, she does it. I'm surprised she couldn't repair the boat. Give her some gum and I'll bet she could have done it.

Nature in the form of a grizzly bear is their enemy, and the family finds itself trying to escape him.

This movie is completely predictable and somehow, the womens' hair looked pretty good after a storm and roughing it. Jason Priestley basically lies around being sick. I saw him at a restaurant once greeting what were obviously a family of old friends. He seemed very sweet and he's short.

Despite its predictability, I have to say it was entertaining. The acting was nothing special, but Andrea Roth is very likable, as is Priestley. How he didn't lose that infected leg is a miracle.

The movie was okay. I just finished watching it on the movie network. Jason Priestly (Robert) is an important figure in the movie, and plays a father role who just finished writing a novel. Priestly doesn't really do much acting in this role, it is mainly done by his wife who is the one who really shows the courage in this movie. His wife played by Andrea Roth(Teresa), also the stepmother of his daughter. His daughter is played by Genenvieve Buchner (Megan). It starts off pretty well with an opening scene of future events to come and how they get caught in a big storm on their family boat. The movie portrays how a modern family overcomes their differences and work together to survive difficult situations. The acting overall isn't really that great but not bad for a made for t.v. movie. It does keep you interested as to what is going to happen next. I would say it's movie that you can watch with the family, especially if you have a teenager's who give you a hard time. They may learn to appreciate you more if you were in this situation as this family was. Also, a good one for those struggling step mothers who have a hard time bonding with their step children.

On a side note they state on the movie network that their is some nudity in it. Well let me just let you know, that no nudity occurred.

During the opening credits, it looks like a flood is causing serious damage for some people. This turns out to be a boating trip hit by a storm. Two days earlier, the story begins… After his new book "On Dating Brainy Women" receives a cool reception, Seattle-area author Jason Priestley (as Robert "Bob" Childs) decides to take his family out on a boating trip to Bear Island. While he is away, the book catches fire... but we'll have to wait and see if the family makes it back, to learn the good news. Bear Island turns out to be a great name for the island, because a snarling, blood-thirsty bear hangs around there. But first, we see how Mr. Priestley and his family got there. The impromptu trip began calmly. Then… the weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew, the "Christine" would be lost...

It's always nice when a disaster movie adds characterization. In this case, the story is about fractured family values. Priestley was a widower who wed beautiful and brainy Andrea Roth (as Teresa Martin). She's beautiful, blonde, a bit younger and incredibly bright. Bratty teenage daughter Genevieve Buechner (as Christy) asks her step-mom, "Is there anything you don't know?" When the men in the cast are incapacitated, Ms. Roth easily takes command. She shows great strength; but, when manly men are around, Roth trips and falls like a helpless lady. The whole point of the disastrous experience appears to be a divine plan to make them somehow form a family. Too bad there wasn't an easier way. Supporting mother Gabrielle Rose (as Hannah) is good, a second family seems poorly edited in, and the bear might scare small children.

**** Courage (2011-06-18) George Erschbamer ~ Andrea Roth, Jason Priestley, Genevieve Buechner, Gabrielle Rose

"Dear God, please protect us from this storm." After receiving the news that his new book is not selling and the store he works at is going to close because of it Robert (Priestley) decides the best way to clear his head is to get on his boat with his family and get away for the weekend. While on the way to the island getaway a storm hits and the family is stuck on an island, but they are not alone. Being that this is a movie from the "Faith & Family" series, I was expecting some cheesiness from this. I was not disappointed. This is a hard movie to review. There really is no substance to this movie. The acting is pretty bad, and the movie seems to get more and more absurd. That being said, it is a religious themed movie and all of that stuff is to be expected so it can't be docked because of it. It you have seen any of the other "Faith & Family" movies you will know what to expect from this one. If you are looking for a feel good, uplifting movie this is a good one to pick, but again there is not much to this one. Overall, not good, but not bad either. A decent one time watch. I give it a C.

Would I watch again? - No I wouldn't *Also try - Letters To God & Expecting A Miracle