Btexxamar I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

phillip_hrdy This offbeat film plays like an early indie movie; but is well acted and entertaining. The film move largely shot on Catalina Island in 1961 and benefits from California sunshine while avoiding the phony appearance of the studio back lot. James Mason is excellent in the role of Blackbeard the Pirate's ex-first mate Major Stede Bonnett, managing an understated cool machismo throughout the story. Kate Manx is earnest and lovely in the leading lady role, while talent like Warren Oates, Rip Torn and Harry Dean Stanton demonstrated early in their careers why they all became stellar character players. The regional dialect is authentic to early 18th century New England with a solid script to match.

MartinHafer In 1960, Disney released "Swiss Family Robinson" and they made a HUGE fortune. In today's money, it would earn $350,000,000+---and that makes it a very, very successful film. So, it's not surprising that only a short time later they'd make "Hero's Island"--a film that bears much more than a superficial resemblance to the Disney film. But, although "Hero's Island" is similar, it's not at all enjoyable like this earlier film...and towards the end it gets pretty dumb.A particularly dumb family moves to a crappy island off the coast of the Carolinas in the 18th century. I say crappy because all sorts of pirate-types keep arriving and making their lives miserable. Heck, soon after they first arrive, one of the thugs kills the husband--leaving the wife and servants to try to survive with two young boys. Common sense would say to leave...but these folks don't seem to have a lot of that! Here is where it gets REALLLLLLY stupid. A guy (James Mason) washes up on the island and when the chips are down, you learn that he is NOT who he originally claimed to be but is Stede Bonnet--one of the infamous members of Blackbeard's gang. However, IMDb says that Mason is Blackbeard himself--he is NOT! And, after the pirates attack, he is ticked off and goes to deliver a well-earned butt-kicking.Despite the fact that this SHOULD have been an exciting adventure film, it was not. It's actually amazingly slow-paced and very low energy. And, on top of that, you really don't care much about the family. Plus, if Mason was playing a pirate, he played one of the dullest ones in film history. Not terrible...but not at all good either.

Hans C. Frederick There really was a Stede Bonnet,and,yes,indeed,he was a retired British Army major.Infantry,I believe.This was in the days when officers bought their commissions,and,the second son of a wealthy merchant could rise through the ranks easily and quickly.Consequently,one could achieve status with a minimal degree of competance,and,in his case,ability.Bonnet was described as a short,plump,pudgy,and rather epicene man,Certainly,he was nobody's physical ideal of a pirate.He had retired at a rather early age,married a woman of vicious temper,and became a planter in the West Indies.The marriage was unhappy,and,as divorce was almost impossible during that period,Bonnet decided to run away from home,piracy being the most logical option,given the location and the period.Unfortunatly,he had NO idea as to how to sail or navigate,knew nothing about commanding a gang of psychopaths,and went so far as to buy his own ship(the usual practice was to STEAL one),outfit it via the usual legal channels,and advertise for a crew,openl stating that they were going to be pirates.They then set sail.Needing advice,he fell into league with Edward Teach,the notorious Blackbeard.Teach invited Bonnet aboard,ostensibly for a sociable drink and to impart some fatherly advice.No sooner was Bonnet on deck,however,when Blackbeard placed him under house arrest,had his own men take over Bonnet's ship,and sailed off for further adventures.Needless to say,Bonnet was humiliated.However,he took advantage of this period,nad became proficient as a sailor and navigator.Blackbeard,eventually tiring of his joke,released the hapless Major.Bonnet started his own career as a pirate,and,while lacking Teach's ferocity,had his own streak of viciousness.Consequently,he became a noted crininal in his own right.It seems,by the way,that he was the only pirate who is reocorded as using the legendary from of execution "Walking the Plank."In 1716,Bonnet,along with many of his cohorts,received a pardon,but,after returning to piracy,was eventually captured and hanged.

John Seal Here's an underappreciated gem from the early 60s. Apparently a labour of love for co-producers James Mason and Leslie Stevens (who also wrote and directed), Hero's Island details the scramble for survival in the newly settled colony of Carolina. It raises interesting issues of ownership and propriety without sacrificing an exciting and realistic story. The cast is simply outstanding, particularly Warren Oates and (Harry) Dean Stanton in one of his earliest roles. Neville Brand is second billed but actually has quite a small role; future Andy Sidaris 'star' Darby Hinton gets a bigger chunk of screen time as a settler's son. The Panavision photography is uniformly outstanding, and frequently ravishingly beautiful as lensed by Ted McCord (Sound of Music, East of Eden, and many others).