Isle of the Dead

Isle of the Dead is an above average thriller thanks in large part to a great performance by Boris Karloff.

Set during the first Balkan War, Karloff plays a Greek general who finds himself quarantined on an island and at war with a plague that may, or may not, be caused by a demon.

Karloff shines as a disciplined general who’s spent his spent his entire life waging and winning wars, and now, faced with an enemy he can’t shoot or stab, he’s lost. The script by Ardel Wray does a wonderful job of crafting the character as a believable, relatable, man, and Karloff conveys volumes in a single world-weary glance. As the film unfolds, you go from fearing, to respecting, and eventually pitying, Karloff’s character; no small feat for a performer, but one Karloff pulls off with ease.

Isle of the Dead isn’t without its problems, however. Ellen Drew’s character is far too headstrong given the era and her position, a problem compounded by Drew’s lack of charisma compared to Karloff. When they’re at odds, you find yourself rooting for Karloff, which is not the script’s intention.

And it’s that lack of intention that really hurts the film. Producer Val Lewton adds his signature atmosphere, creating a good sense of gothic dread, but the script isn’t set up for the audience to root for Karloff, and Isle of the Dead suffers because of it. Neither dark enough to be truly disturbing, or light enough to pass for a popcorn thriller, Isle of the Dead instead feels forced, as the production code likely dictated much of the film’s outcome, instead of allowing the story to flow organically.

Still, Karloff’s performance almost makes up for it. Putting aside that he’s supposed to be a Greek, Karloff is immensely watchable, so much so that he elevates Isle of the Dead to one of his best collaborations with producer Val Lewton.

Plus, if you consider Karloff the protagonist, then the story becomes something of a horrific tragedy. The contrived plot becomes “the hand of fate” and Drew becomes a villain whose headstrong, selfish behavior nearly costs everyone their lives. Not what the filmmakers had in mind, but it works.