Review: Isla Monstro

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Overview:

In the animated film, Isla Monstro, a young loser, Duke, finds himself washed up on an island filled with mutants. Soon, he learns that it was a failed 1980s DARPA “super soldier” project to stop the Second Cold War. Naturally, he has the idea to transform it into an island resort.

Our Take:

Duke, the “Daunting,” is our everyman protagonist who first appears as a washed-up magician on a cruise ship. Appearing half-dressed and clearly on something, he has to be escorted out, when it’s explained that he’s been fired from at least seven jobs on the ship so far. After a phone call from a German drug lord he appears to be indebted to, he winds up falling overboard and down the rabbit hole.

Fortunately, he ends up washed up on an island filled with mutant beings, being rescued by a muscular slugman. He learns he is in Fort Montana, an island that the U.S. military uses to hold these beings, where they were hoped to be a secret weapon in the Cold War.

The mutants were all once human, but for various reasons, were recruited to become animalistic hybrids. The exception is Dyanna, who still looks human, as the experiments have no effect on him. Cut off from the world, they have no idea what the internet is and think Radio Shack is a thing, but they seem friendly enough.

However, Duke is able to put them back on the grid, with one goal in mind: turning the old fort into a resort. Sure, it’s filled with giant talking eyeballs. But any place that still has a VHS rental place has got to be a conversation starter. The mutants are reluctant at first, but promises of cryptocurrency and AI convince them that the outside world is ready to make their dreams come true.

Sure, when your staff is made up of mutants who have no experience working in the hospitality industry, a few hiccups are expected, but a few positive Yelp reviews prove otherwise. However, European drug lords, government officials, and faulty military equipment, not to mention one unstable mutant, are bound to cause trouble. If that wasn’t enough, the weather doesn’t look too safe, either.

Of course, as the story plays out, the mutants might realize that their powers might give them some unexpected advantages.

One thing that will resonate with a lot of viewers is Duke’s feelings that the American Dream has become nothing more than a dream. It always seems that a simple change can improve your life overnight, but you always find yourself two steps behind all over again. You can have all sorts of goals, but find yourself lucky to get by. Of course, there’s bound to be other failures in the world, and misery loves company.

The animation has a simple, puppet-like feel to it, which can help undercut the story’s darker themes. The character designs are a bit all over the place, with some characters looking out of place. That said, the best ideas are clearly saved for the mutants, with the occasional animesque drug dealer.

The story has a lot going on all at once and it can be hard at times to keep up with all that’s going on. Mutant characters can appear out of nowhere at the drop of a hat. To be fair, this is sometimes the joke, with even Duke getting confused about who someone is. And there are a few subplots that help keep the story interesting. Still, it wouldn’t be too much to ask to have gotten a little bit more of Jerry.

A few notable names make up the voice cast, including James Marsters, Harland Williams, John DiMaggio, Spencer Grammer, Dana Snyder, and Maurice LaMarche. That alone really helps make it a fun watch.

Overall, for an indie project, it’s still a fun watch, and the tropical feel makes it all the more fun to watch during the summer months.