Have you ever wished that your deepest, darkest desires would come true for you? Well, that’s exactly what happened for a number of lucky guests at Mr. Roarke’s (Michael Peña) luxurious, yet remote tropical resort, in Sony’s new movie, Fantasy Island. But what the guests quickly learned was that you should definitely be careful what you wish for. Upon arriving at the resort, Melanie (Lucy Hale), Elena (Maggie Q), Bradley (Ryan Hansen), Brax (Jimmy O. Yang) and Randall (Austin Stowell) thought they were in for the time of their lives, but what they quickly learned was that not everything is always as great as it seems.
This movie is actually a horror adaptation of the popular ’70s TV show about a magical island resort, so even though the original series was a bit creepy at times, this film took things to a whole new level and literally scared us like we’ve never been scared before. Oh and don’t even get us started on all the twists and turns that this movie takes. And we mean that in the best way possible. As each moment passed by — including that huge, OMFG twist at the end — we found ourselves on the edge of our seats, waiting to see what would happen next. Nothing was predictable and the action was pretty fast-paced, so this movie isn’t a slow burn like some other horror flicks out there right now (cough The Turning cough).
Also, the movie deals with a lot of issues that most people can relate to — getting bullied, regretfully breaking up with someone, suffering the loss of a parent, etc. — so it’s hard not to feel for these characters upon learning more about their personal lives. Heck, even the seemingly evil Mr. Roarke doesn’t seem to bad by the end of the film. And that’s likely a result of good storytelling here. So props to the writers for really fleshing out these characters enough so that we care about them — even the evil ones. And isn’t that what truly makes a good villain? Someone that you love to hate and hate to love.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a fun date movie, or just a good time with friends, you need to check out this film. It’s also produced by Jason Blum‘s Blumhouse Productions, so that’s pretty much an additional indication that Fantasy Island is a must-see movie. Jason’s production company is also responsible for bringing us gems like Get Out, Halloween (2018), Truth Or Dare, Ma, Happy Death Day and so many more, so do yourself a favor and watch this movie! You won’t regret it.
Fantasy Island will be released in theaters everywhere on Feb. 14.