Wuchak
Feb 22, 2021
**Something eerie is happening on an isle off the coast of Maine** An island 40 miles off the Maine coast is increasingly cut off from the mainland and, worse, islanders start coming up missing at sea. What’s going on? Adam Wade McLaughlin stars as a marine biologist who suspects what’s really happening. "Island Zero" (2018) is a competent low-budget mystery/horror that mixes Stephen King with flicks like “Island of the Burning Damned” (1967), “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) and “The Fog” (1980/2005). It’s also a little reminiscent of the contemporaneous “A Quiet Place.” So the basic plot is old hat, but the authentic locations, camerawork, score, acting and gore are all quite good. The fact that this is a low-budget movie isn’t really evident until the closing reel. While Laila Robins emerges as the female protagonist, Teri Reeves stands out in the looks department, but someone more notable or dynamic was needed for the latter role or the role of the diner waitress (Joanna Clarke); or both. The characters are decent, but they needed fleshed out further with more interesting drama. The story just seemed pedestrian. But there are some interesting revelations. Meanwhile some of the F/X are well done and some are not. The film runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, and was shot on the coast of Maine south of Acadia National Park in Camden, Rockport, Islesboro and Monhegan Island. GRADE: B-/C+
