Movie Review: 'Killer Island'

An island vacation is supposed to be a relaxing day of sunshine and ocean views. That's certainly what married couple Ashley and Mike Porter (played by Barbie Castro and Brian Gross, who previously played a couple in 2017's Girlfriend Killer) were hoping for. With Ashley struggling to come to terms with the drowning death of her sister at the island, in addition to Mike's recent infidelity, the Porters are hoping their island getaway will help smooth out the rough patches in their marriage.

But soon after arriving at the island resort, Ashley finds herself enthralled by the disappearance of two local girls, one of whom was found dead soon after Ashley and Mike's arrival. As Ashley found herself digging more into the disappearances, she began to notice the resort's maintenance man, Johnny Vanks (Miguel Fasa) acting suspicious, starting with him stealing the ankle bracelet Ashley found on the docks. As more truths unravel and secrets are revealed, Ashley must work to repair her relationship with Mike while also finding the one responsible for the tragedies that plagued the island—while avoiding the killer who has been hiding in plain sight.

This sort of murder mystery is nothing new, and the "Murder on a Gorgeous Resort Island" has also been explored before. But like the other films in the "Killer" series, Island Killer makes its plot enjoyable and unique, despite the well-worn nature of the narrative. The mystery is well-crafted and leads the viewer down a twisted road, making it more difficult to pinpoint who's guilty and who's innocent. The film's pace allows the mystery to be organically unfolded and revealed, while not going slow enough as to bore the audience. For the most part, Island Killer is an example of the best way to write a murder mystery plot.

The talent involved in the film also play a good part in making Island Killer an enjoyable watch, while also giving it a few moments of surprising depth and emotion. Like in Girlfriend Killer, Barbie Castro and Brian Gross play well off each other as a couple and make their relationship believable and something you'll want to root for. During the film's second half, Ashley and Mike have an emotionally driven confrontation about the state of their marriage in the wake of Mike's affair, as well as the effect Ashley's grief for her sister has had on her. The conversation has Ashley admitting that her husband's betrayal still effects her, and that she's not sure how long it will take for her to forgive him or move on from her sister's death. Mike also admits that, while he doesn't expect their marriage to ever go back to the way it was before, he hopes that they will eventually be able to have a good marriage again. It's an incredibly well-acted and emotion-driven scene that highlights Castro and Gross's acting and makes you root for both of them as the secrets of the island threaten their lives.

The supporting cast also delivers, with Miguel Fasa (who has a history of making appearances in the "Killer" series) giving a surprisingly multi-faceted performance as murderer Johnny, showing more depth that one might expect from a Lifetime-esque thriller villain. Jordi Vilasuso also gave a great performance as Johnny's uncle and a co-owner of the resort, making one of the film's twists all the more shocking and putting several of his scenes in a different context in hindsight. Everyone's characters and the relationships between them give an authentic air, something that appears to be a welcome constant in the "Killer" series.

Overall, Killer Island follows the pattern of the other "Killer" films featuring Barbie Castro, with authentic characters, good plotting, and acting that gives the film both entertainment and emotional depth. If you're looking for a perfect film to watch over a lazy weekend, look no further than Killer Island.

Score: 10 out of 10 plot-relevant ankle bracelets.