FANTASY ISLAND
Well-acted island horror best saved for discerning adults.
Should You Watch It?
Fantasy Island has some genuine strengths. The Fiji locations provide gorgeous island views, and the seasoned cast gives solid performances to a slightly unbelievable, overlong story. Its moral center is also better than its horror premise suggests: family, marriage, loving others, forgiveness, and sacrifice all receive some praise.
But the movie is violent and frequently foul-mouthed. Its occult elements involve magical water that brings fantasies and dead people to life. The story also stretches a thin, convoluted plot across too much running time, and its different fantasy genres do not come together convincingly.
For your family, this is best saved for discerning adults at home, where you can control the experience.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESFive people win a trip to an exotic island resort, where the caretaker, Mr. Roarke, promises to bring their secret fantasies to life. He offers one warning: their fantasies may not end as they expect.
As each guest enters a different fantasy, complications make them question what they really wanted. One character begins to realize that the guests share a common link and may have been brought to the island for a reason.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means Fantasy Island is a mixed but watchable film. The Fiji locations are gorgeous, and the seasoned cast delivers good acting that helps carry an unbelievable storyline.
The problems are substantial. The movie is overlong and could have reached its expected ending much sooner. Its different fantasies feel like different genres, and bringing them together creates a convoluted plot that does not make much sense. The story is also described as sub-par compared with the original television predecessor.
The Worldview
The film presents a light redemptive, moral worldview. It extols family, marriage, loving others, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Characters learn that revenge will not fix their problems, and saving others matters. A strained father-and-son relationship is resolved positively.
That moral framework is mixed with occult elements. The island’s magical water brings fantasies and dead people to life for a price. The story also includes romantic elements tied to love, loss, and the desire to regain or keep someone. One character is homosexual.
The film’s central longing is for love, restoration, and the chance to correct painful wrongs. Scripture calls believers to forgive one another, “as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Light redemptive, moral worldview extols marriage, family, sacrifice, love, forgiving yourself and others, and saving others, mixed with some occult elements where the island’s magical water shows people their fantasies and can bring people back to life for a price, one character is homosexual, plus some Romantic elements because the characters are on a magical island because of their love for someone else and how they want it back or they want to keep it
Foul Language
30 obscenities mostly consisting of the h-word and the s-word, eight light profanities, two obscene gestures
Violence
Lots of strong and some very strong violence (but not all instances are depicted because the filmmakers use misdirection to add to the movie’s suspense) includes several fight scenes, a woman is in a torture chamber where she is electrocuted, cut on the arm, and has water dropped on her, man is electrocuted, an armory of guns and bombs are shown and used, machete is used to stab a man, two men play baseball with a grenade, men shot in the head multiple times, knives used to stab others, man tackles another man over a cliff, man falls on a grenade to save others, woman drowns in some blood, nose bleeds are shown, and island’s black water comes out of eyes which could be scary for some viewers
Sex
A couple who just got engaged are seen in bed together the morning after, married couple kisses, man kisses his girlfriend
Nudity
Upper male nudity at a pool party, skimpy bikinis and men’s speedos are worn, man and woman in bed and insinuated to be naked, woman’s midriff shown throughout the movie
Alcohol Use
Alcohol shown and used several times, but no drunkenness shown
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Man carries and uses a marijuana bong;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Revenge is a main tactic used in the movie, but it’s rebuked by saying it won’t fix problems, kidnapping, lying, video shown of woman cheating on her husband that was posted on Facebook, and a strained father and son relationship is shown, but only because the father didn’t think it was his real son and the story is resolved positively.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The film presents revenge as something that cannot fix a person’s problems. Why does revenge appeal to us, and what does forgiveness require?
Romans 12:19–21 · Ephesians 4:32Several characters are connected by love and loss. How can love lead us toward sacrifice rather than selfishness?
John 15:13 · Philippians 2:3–4The story includes a strained father-and-son relationship that is resolved positively. What helps restore a damaged relationship?
Colossians 3:12–14 · James 1:19The island offers people a chance to get what they want, but the results are not what they expect. How should we respond when our desires conflict with wisdom?
Proverbs 3:5–6 · James 1:5The Final Word
Fantasy Island offers beautiful scenery, good acting, and a light moral center, but its violence, foul language, occult elements, and overlong story make it unsuitable for children and young teens. Watch it at home only if you are a discerning adult. Our verdict: WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For gentler choices, see.
