Director: Po-Chih Leong
Screenplay: Kei Shu
Starring: John Sham, Hoi-Lun Au, Timothy Zao, Ching-Yuen Tse, Wai Kwan Kwok, Ban Wong, Lung Chan, Jing Chen, Billy Sau Yat Ching, Lap Ban Chan
Country: Hong Kong
Running Time: 93 min
Year: 1985
BBFC Certificate: 18
We’re currently living in a golden age for films on physical media in the UK for fans of Hong Kong cinema, with quite a few labels releasing famed and lesser-known titles. From the likes of Jackie Chan’s classics, a growing number of which are receiving 4K UHD releases from 88 Films, to Arrow Video, in particular, mining the Shaw Bros catalogue – Volume 4 of their Shawscope series is due to be released before the end of 2025 – there’s seemingly a new release or two every month.
From films I’ve heard of and longed to see like The Devil’s Fetus (1983), to ones I must admit to having not heard of but which have now found a special place in my heart like The Cat (1992), I feel my knowledge and appreciation of Hong Kong cinema has grown thanks to the likes of Arrow Video, 88 Films and Eureka Video.
The latter label is bringing another new one on me to the market, The Island (1985), and I jumped at the chance to review it, with Eureka describing it as a rare and lesser-known gem. Released as part of Eureka’s Masters of Cinema series, presumably because it’s directed by celebrated British-Chinese filmmaker Po-Chih Leong, the film sees teacher Mr. Cheung (John Sham) exploring a rural island that he believes to be uninhabited, together with a group of six students.
But there’s more to the island than meets the eye and they’re not alone – three unhinged brothers and their equally crazed mother live there, as do some vicious animals. The youngest of the brothers proposes marriage to one of the students, who turns the offer down, leading to terrifying consequences.
Taking its cue from visceral American horror movies like Deliverance (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977) and, my personal favourite horror movie, the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Island, which was executive produced by director and actor Sammo Hung, delivers a slice of Hong Kong survival horror that’s visceral and tough to watch.
We’re first introduced to Mr. Cheung as he looks at fish in a shop window, before he sets off for the island on a boat with the six students. These moments bookend scenes in which we get to meet the locals on the island and their initial depraved antics as they hold a young woman hostage. They’re trying to find a wife for the youngest son, but have been unable to, leading to the aforementioned proposal. The locals set the scene for a wedding, with a lot of unsettling moments taking place in the meantime, and then teacher and students realise they must flee the island, leading to a tense final act as they’re captured and trying to escape.
Mr. Cheung and the students soon meet the locals and it’s not long before they realise things are a little bit odd, and soon we have a game of cat and mouse, as the survival horror takes hold and the locals try to take down the tourists.
The acting is great throughout and I was surprised to discover that the students were all non-professional actors, as they’re all really good. The locals who targets Mr. Cheung and the students are all marvellously portrayed – scary, unhinged and off-kilter; I was on edge, bracing myself for what they would do next.
The music by composer Lew Dik is absolutely brilliant; it’s a synth fan’s dream, really = getting the pulse racing as it enhances so many of the sequences. It’s a very memorable and hummable treat, whilst some of the tense moments get the classic horror treatment. It’s a really great genre score.
Poon Hang-Sang’s cinematography is also fantastic, finding beauty in the East Asian island setting, but also beautifully framing certain sequences, starting with a gorgeous sweeping shot over the island, to shots through a fish tank and spiderwebs, there’s plenty to savour.
Standout sequences include a game of hide-and-seek in which several of the students discover some of the island’s secrets, with some breathtaking lighting. Others include the introductions of all the major players; the teacher talking on a radio that he leaves on in a building, the locals the other side of the wall hearing it, and no end of games of cat and mouse between teacher and students and the locals.
The Island is the second of director Po-Chih Leong’s films to be released this year on Eureka’s Masters of Cinema label, after Hong Kong 1941 (1984), and based on these two releases I’m aching to see more of his works, as both have plenty to recommend. It’s a very good slice of Hong Kong genre cinema, with some tense sequences, beautiful cinematography, a corking score and a gripping narrative that serves up a number of suspenseful moments.
Film: 
The Island is released by Eureka Entertainment on their Masters of Cinema label as a limited edition Region A and B Blu-ray on 13 October 2025. The picture looks excellent, the 2K restoration really shining throughout with rich detail, colours that pop and a very natural filmic quality. The audio and subtitles are also very good.
Special features
Limited Edition [2000 copies]
Limited edition O-card slipcase featuring new artwork by Ilan Shead
Limited edition collector’s booklet featuring an interview with Po-Chih Leong and revised introduction notes on The Island by film writer, producer and film festival executive Roger Garcia
1080p HD presentation from a brand new 2K restoration
Original Cantonese mono
Optional English subtitles, newly translated for this release
New audio commentary with East Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival)
New audio commentary with genre cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema
Tony Rayns on The Island
Surviving the Shoot – interview with director Po-Chih Leong from 2023, courtesy of Frédéric Ambroisine
Trailer
The commentary by Frank Djeng is typically rich with detail and a fabulous track to listen to. Djeng’s commentaries are always fun and full of interest facts as well as analysis, and this is no different. I liked the touch that Djeng provided by starting this commentary by suggesting we were about to watch Michael Bay’s The Island (2005). It gave me a chuckle. To get a sense of the level of detail Djeng goes into, he opens by revealing that the D&B Films production logo is not accompanied by its usual music. We then hear about those who worked on the film and plenty more. It’s fantastic.
Then we have a commentary with Mike Leeder and Arne Venema, which is equally good. They also provide a very entertaining and fast-paced commentary; though I disagreed with Venema’s assertion that the Michael Caine-starring 1980 film The Island, released on limited edition Blu-ray not too long ago by Treasured Films, is a bad film. I enjoyed it a lot when I watched it. But, back to the commentary, and we get a bit more analysis here such as the influences on the film, while the pair highlight a number of the sequences, the locations, and share details on the actors and much more. Another outstanding commentary.
I really enjoyed the 16-minute Tony Rayns piece. Rayns is on his usual fine form, giving a rewarding and insightful overview of the film, its place in the director’s filmography, and how it subverts expectations following its misleading beginning. He talks about the roots it has in 1970s cinema in particular, highlighting it being closest to the films of Wes Craven like The Last House on the Left (1972) and the aforementioned The Hills Have Eyes, as well as Dennis Yu’s The Beasts (1980). This and much more is covered in a wonderful extra.
The interview with director Po-Chih Leong is from a masterclass filmed at the Udine Far East Film Festival in 2023. Running for 22 minutes it sees Po-Chih on great form and seeming very sprightly despite being in his 80s. He describes how the actors who played the students had never acted in a film before, discusses what he liked about the script, as well as some of the scenes, and the practical effects. In addition to discussing The Island, he also touches on some of his other movies. It’s a fantastic interview.
The four-minute trailer sells the film very well indeed.
I wasn’t provided with the booklet for this review, so am unable to comment on it, but Eureka’s essays are always first class.
In closing, Eureka have delivered a great audio-visual presentation and worthy selection of extras for The Island, a special slice of Asian horror cinema. The label often turns to Djeng and the duo of Leeder and Venema for its commentaries, and both prove to be rewarding listens, providing a valuable wealth of background on a gem from the less trodden path of Hong Kong cinema. The interview with director Po-Chih is also very informative, and the Tony Rayns piece is typically excellent. The limited edition release is an easy recommendation for fans of Hong Kong genre cinema or films where outsiders are targeted by deranged locals, particularly as this is the first time the film has been released on Blu-ray outside of Asia.
Disc/Package:
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