DOLPHIN ISLAND
DOLPHIN ISLAND is a family film and I know that’s not usually my beat, but the film is made to benefit survivors of a hurricane, has a cute dolphin, and I like to throw you a curveball every once and a while. Here’s the trailer:
DOLPHIN ISLAND stars Peter Woodward (THE PATRIOT, NATIONAL TREASURE) as Jonah Coleridge, Tyler Jade Nixon (DOLPHIN KICK) as Annabel Coleridge, Dionne Lea Williams (NO BAD DAYS) as Desaray Rolle, Bob Bledsoe (Parks And Recreation) as Robert Carbunkle, Esq., David Raizor (YOU CAN’T TAKE MY DAUGHTER), and introducing Aaron Burrows (Mateo Rolle) and Annette Duncan (Sheryl Williams). Directed by Mike Disa (HOODWINKED TOO:HOOD VS. EVIL) and co-written by Disa, Shaked Berenson (SPACE DOGS) and Rolfe Kanefsky (BLONDE AND BLONDER). Berenson also produced the film.
Jonah Coleridge is a former professor raising his beloved granddaughter Annabel and working as a fisherman on a Caribbean island. They are poor but have an idyllic life and Annabel is a happy teen who is friends with a dolphin named Mitzi. One day, a lawyer, Robert Carbunkle, Esq., shows up and starts making demands on behalf of Annabel’s other set of grandparents who are very rich. The local child welfare social worker is initially disapproving and the first draft of her report gives the lawyer a way to try and take custody of Annabel away from Jonah. The tensions start to rise as Annabel’s grandparents arrive on the island and expect to take Annabel with them. What will Jonah do?
The film is really quite charming. I enjoyed it even though there wasn’t anything horrifying and there was minimal violence. I can definitely recommend it if you are looking for a good family film that is well made and not too syrupy. As with most family films, it is a bit on the melodramatic side, but the performances bring a touching human side to what could have been more cookie cutter in someone else’s hands. The basics of story itself are standard for the family genre, but it’s the touches of the interactions between the characters and the humanity of the characters that make it more interesting than most. Even the “bad guys” have feelings. I have to give credit to the screen writers and the director for elevating it from the standards of the genre as well as to the actors for giving the film the heart that it needs. Some of the more emotional reactions of the actors aren’t all they could be, but when you see the sadness in the eyes of Peter Woodward and the comic foil antics of Bob Bledsoe that are just right, you’ll find you have a film that kids and parents can watch together.
DOLPHIN ISLAND is a better than average family film that, really, the whole family can enjoy. A portion of the profits go to the local cast and crew, since the producer Shaked Berenson wanted to help the residents of Grand Bahama Island after Hurricane Dorian, so you can feel good about supporting a good cause as well. The film is available on most of the normal streaming services like Apple TV, Fandango Now, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu, and Redbox. The website for the film is here: https://dolphinislandmovie.com/watch-now/
