“You will come to know who your true enemy is.”
If the 7-minute opening of Monster Island (originally titled Orang Ikan), which features a shoot-out onboard a Japanese vessel known in WWII as a Hell Ship, doesn’t get you excited for the mystery Monster Island sets up, you might be dead already.
This flick, which is inspired by a drawing from Creature From The Black Lagoon and based on Malay Folklore, is wild and fun and frenetic and absolutely addictive entertainment as a Japanese ship transporting prisoners of way to occupied territories for slave labor is torpedoed by allied submarines and two POWs find themselves stranded on a deserted island.
Or so they think.
Written and directed by Mike Wiluan (Buffalo Boys, Losmen Melati), Monster Island is a WWII movie by way of a creature feature. Or is that the other way around? Regardless, this movie is one hell of beatdown as it serves up some Predator-like vibes with a healthy dose of Road House action beats.
This is what happens when a Japanese soldier and a British POW are stranded on a deserted island and soon discover that they’re being hunted by a ferocious mythological creature, the Orang Ikan. Both the soldier and POW realize that they must work together to survive the unknown, despite their differences.
Starring Dean Fukjioka (Fullmetal Alchemist) and Callum Woodhouse (All Creatures Great & Small), Monster Island works because of the pacing and the intensity of the set-up as these two survivors must somehow figure out how to best the beast the locals refer to as Orang Ikan, played by Alan Maxson (Godzilla: King of the Monsters). This creature is indeed pretty ferocious and fabulous, ripping off limbs left and right as it aims to destroy both of them.
The men are quickly separated, allowing all three of the main players ample screen time as they chart their path through the Hellish landscape this monster calls home. But the war has changed them and, when push comes to shove, will they be able to do what needs to be done in order to finish the job?
This is the drama and the dilemma of Monster Island, a refreshing creature feature from Shudder. The film premieres on July 25th on Shudder’s streaming platform. Make plans now. This one is not to be missed.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 83 mins
Director: Mike Wiluan
Writer: Mike Wiluan
Cast: Dean Fujioka; Callum Woodhouse; Alan Maxson
Genre: Horror | Monster
Tagline: A Shudder Exclusive
Memorable Movie Quote: "He killed... his commanding officer"
Distributor: Shudder
Official Site:
Release Date: July 25, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Set in the Pacific, 1942. A Japanese soldier and a British prisoner of war are stranded on a deserted island, hunted by a deadly creature. Two mortal enemies must come together to survive the unknown.
