Fantasy Island was no great treasure. While it could be labeled entertaining, it did not have any unique, redeeming qualities, and when the credits started rolling I was relieved it was over. Set on, you guessed it, an island, five guests of the island’s proprietor, Mr. Roarke, get a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring their fantasies to life. However, they soon learn that dreams can also be nightmares, and they should be careful what they wish for. Although it has an interesting premise, it fails to give a plot of substance, and it seems as though the whole film was a series of events strung together leading to one big Aha! moment. While this may be entertaining minute-to-minute, it doesn’t make for much other intrigue. 

With a film categorized in the mystery/sci-fi genre, I expected to find myself curious and engrossed, waiting eagerly for the finale. However, I felt luke-warm about the succession of incidents which only lead to a disappointing conclusion. While the creators attempted to bring the storyline full circle with an unexpected twist, it fell flat, and was not as riveting as it was advertised to be.

In addition to the dull twists and turns the film takes, the conclusion itself was too clean-cut. It was a gift for the audience, wrapped nicely and presented with a bow. However, the gift was empty and superficial. With any movie that is not a rom-com, I look for an ending that is thought-provoking, controversial, and sometimes even devastating. However, with Fantasy Island, I find myself already forgetting how the film ended and being completely unbothered by the events which took place and the fates of the characters. 

Movies are meant to make its audience feel something, be it joy, sadness, or fear, but Fantasy Island was unsuccessful in this aspect. I didn’t leave the theater feeling immersed and I was somewhat bored. In my opinion, there are many other movies in theaters which would make leaving the comfort of your home actually worthwhile. Otherwise, if you’re that curious, I’d recommend waiting until Fantasy Island is on one of the movie streaming services, rather than venturing out and committing yourself to almost two hours of disappointment in a movie theater.