Where Your Fantasies Have A Dark Side
Columbia Pictures and Blumhouse Productions added a twist when they morphed the popular 1978 TV series into a feature film: They gave the resort a dark side.
Contest winning guests visit the tropical island resort, all smiles, admiring the splendor of the resort, filled with excitement at learning their fantasies are to be fulfilled.
Michael Pena plays their host and island “keeper”, Mr. Roarke. There isn’t a Tattoo to greet them. Writers Jeff Wadlow, Chris Roach, and Jillian Jacobs soon turn the fantasies of the characters into living nightmares. This is an interesting premise and the kind of twist thriller and horror fans relish.
However, with a $7 million budget, the movie delivers lackluster acting, cheesy dialogue, low-budget thrills, and some cringe-worthy moments that leave most movie-goers wishing more money would’ve been spent to make this Fantasy Island a blockbuster thrill-ride instead of the dud that it was.
The movie grossed $47 million worldwide. Reviews were scorching. Had producers pumped more cash into the production to attract an A-List cast, the movie could’ve wowed audiences enough for there to be a sequel.
But, even with the Act 3 revelation of Tattoo teaming up with Mr. Roarke, fans aren’t eager for Fantasy Island 2 or a revamped TV series.
