Islands (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

When a former tennis player, Tom (Sam Riley), now a tennis coach on a holiday island, befriends an enigmatic family, his somber, structured day-to-day routine is quickly upended. Islands follows Tom and his new friends as they journey the beautiful, but mysterious island that he calls home.

Something of a jarring mystery, Islands sets the tone of simplicity and joie de vivre early in this film. Playing opposite that calm is the performance of Riley. Tom is uneasy and uncomfortable; there’s simply something off about the character that can’t effectively be put into words. There’s something about his presence that alters the tone of the overall film, even in the most charming moments. His ability to combat that tone is charming in itself, and it helps to develop mystery in the early going, far before the true mystery ever reveals itself.

Additionally, the vastness of the locations in which Islands is filmed plays opposite Riley’s performance. The stunning landscapes, the bright blue of the sea, and the sense of ease that it provides is undercut but the rigidity of Tom and the fact that he remains so mysterious and closed off. Nearly every aspect of Islands contradicts itself in the best ways. It constantly sets expectations, just to subvert them, just to turn the film on its head and change course. Islands is an example of masterful filmmaking, and it continues to grow more powerful and enamoring as it moves forward. 

Islands’ bread and butter is the red herring. It begs viewers to hang on every line, when nearly half of what is expressed to viewers through the dialogue is meant to do nothing more than to throw them off the scent of the truth. Again, Director Jan-Ole Gerster is masterful in his approach toward crafting this film, continuing to subvert expectations, pull viewers in further, tease them with what could be, and then change direction entirely. Islands is a game of cat and mouse in the best ways. 

I knew what would happen between Tom and his new family of friends nearly as soon as Islands began. However, if you haven’t already figured it out, it’s nearly impossible to anticipate the film’s next move, and I couldn’t have been more wrong in my predictions. The need for participation reeled me further into the narrative; and regardless of the fact that I couldn’t quite figure out the ending, there’s some level of gratification just from playing along. 

I’ve already said it twice, but Islands is a masterclass in terms of its structure and narrative pace. Its ability to shift tonally and narratively so frequently, while never breaking stride and remaining cohesive and fluid is a testament to the script, but even more to Gerster’s ability to mold the cinematic clay that he’s given into something worthy of the term “art.” Islands is, in some ways, a fever dream, but just as much it’s grounded and accessible. Islands is one of the best films I’ve seen so far this year, and a must-see for cinephiles everywhere. 

Directed by Jan-Ole Gerster. 

Written by Jan-Ole Gerster, Blaz Kutin, & Lawrie Doran. 

Starring Sam Riley, Stacy Martin, Jack Farthing, Dylan Torrell, Pep Ambròs, etc.

8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING