The Isle (2018) is a slow moving and very atmospheric supernatural mystery.
Set in 1841, three shipwrecked sailors wash up on an (improbably) uncharted isle off the west coast of Scotland. There are only four inhabitants, the rest having abandoned the isle some time ago, for reasons that initially remain a mystery but the exodus is vaguely attributed to inexplicably failing crops and dying cattle. The quartet of remainers (a harbour master, his niece, a crofter and his 'loony' daughter) cannot leave the place (again, for reasons they are unwilling to divulge) and attempt to disuade the three marooned mariners from leaving, at first by subterfuge and later by veiled warnings. Strange occurrences prompt the men to first explore the island and then take a boat off, actions which result in dire consequences before the supernatural agency behind the mystery is finally confronted.
More style than substance, but the makers must be credited for wringing every last drop of eerie gothic atmosphere out of their sets and locations on a (sometimes rather evident) modest budget. Eschewing blood and guts, jump scares and action, this production favours a low key, old school approach, occasionally reminiscent of the BBC Ghost Stories For Christmas; the creeping sense of dread is acheived by evoking the bewilderment of regular people trapped in a weird and subtly frightening mileu - a staple of so-called 'folk horror', into which this title has been categorised by several reviewers.
Admittedly, the film has shortcomings, including some rather irregular performances (mainly from the seamen characters), a deal of iffy editing and a script that is at times overly elaborate and at others overly basic. Some of the period costumes are not entirely convincing and the running time could be beneficially trimmed of 10-15 minutes. But the positives outweigh the negatives and it's good to see a modern piece that relies on slow burn mystery and atmosphere (also refreshing to see a tale of the past almost wholly devoid of anachronistic modern speech and attitudes). Some critics have (rather inaccurately) likened The Isle to The Wicker Man and The Witch but I'd place it closer to The Woman In Black sans the mega-dollar budget.
