Monster Island (2019) is a low-budget, creature-feature film that falls into the “so-bad-it’s-good” category, offering an entertaining if often cheesy and over-the-top experience. Directed by Mark Atkins, the film capitalizes on the monster movie genre, combining elements of adventure, horror, and sci-fi, all while aiming to evoke nostalgia for the classic kaiju films. Although it doesn’t quite match the quality or spectacle of major monster movies like Godzilla or King Kong, Monster Island offers viewers a fun, albeit campy, experience.

The story centers on a group of characters who find themselves stranded on an island that is home to a variety of monstrous creatures. These creatures, as the title suggests, are far from the ordinary. A mix of giant monsters terrorizes the island, including giant dinosaurs, spiders, and other terrifying creatures that have been genetically altered or awakened by some mysterious force. The plot follows a group of survivors, including a woman named Kelsey (played by Naomi Grossman) and a group of scientists, who must navigate the dangers of the island, trying to stay alive while uncovering the dark secrets behind the creation of the monsters.

From the outset, it’s clear that Monster Island isn’t aiming for realism or deep character development. Instead, the film focuses on delivering a fun, action-packed spectacle, and it does so in a way that feels more like a B-movie from the 1950s or 60s than a modern blockbuster. The film’s script is filled with cheesy dialogue, often accompanied by overacting from the cast, which only adds to its charm. While it doesn’t aim to be taken seriously, it plays with the conventions of the monster movie genre, offering a lighthearted, though predictable, ride.