Monster Island is a 2024 action horror film about two enemy soldiers who must face off against a deadly creature. It is based on the legend of a cryptid called Orang Ikan (man-fish), first reported by Japanese soldiers during World War II stationed in the islands south of Indonesia.
The international co-production was written and directed by Mike Wiluan and stars Dean Fujioka and Callum Woodhouse.
Plot:
May, 1942. WWII rages across a world divided. Sailing across the sea, a Japanese hell ship transports prisoners of war (POWs) to occupied territories for slave labour. Onboard the ship is Saito, a traitor to the Japanese who is being sent back to the motherland to be sentenced to death. As further punishment, Saito is shackled to another POV, a British soldier named Bronson who holds nothing but hatred for Saito because of his Japanese nationality.
When the hell ship is torpedoed by Allied submarines, Saito and Bronson are thrown overboard and washed ashore on a deserted island. But they are not alone.
Bronson and Saito are hunted by a monstrous creature – the Orang Ikan – that will stop at nothing until both men are dead. Bronson and Saito must put aside their hatred for one another to survive the island and kill the creature before it kills them…
Producer Eric Khoo told Variety, “I grew up on a steady diet of horror movies which ranged from the supernatural to monster flicks. One of my childhood favourites was the classic 1954 monster movie, Creature from the Black Lagoon. During the pandemic I came across Hell in the Pacific, a 1968 war film about a Japanese soldier and an American serviceman marooned on an island trying to kill each other off. This was the lightbulb moment for me – what if an orang ikan had come ashore in that scenario? In order to survive, the two mortal enemies would have to team up to battle this terrifying beast! What an exciting premise!”
Writer/director Mike Wiluan adds.: “Orang Ikan is an origin story with a horror survival theme set in the context of a realistic tragedy during the Second World War in Asia. Using both studio settings and the wonderful wild landscapes of Indonesia – I am excited to capture both the tension, horror and beauty of this concept in various exotic locations. We assembled a wonderful cast, talented artists and the best crew to undertake this incredible adventure.”
Trailer:
Release:
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Tokyo International Film Festival. It will be available on Shudder on July 25, 2025.
Original title:
Orang Ikan
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