The characters were likeable enough but some of the plot I didn't like and other parts just outright not believable. Just made me mad near the end.
50 Reviews
Had potential, but crashed
pdalewilliams19 August 2021
Not very credible
Chinesevil30 August 2021
I regret giving it a chance
ivimikey22 August 2021
This is one of those times where the movie is primarily unappealing But like usual i gave it a chance thinking it wouldn't be as bad as i thought, And to my surprise it was worse. Very boring most of the time, acting was bad, especially in the conflict scenes and plenty of Netflix unnecessary sexual scenes. Netflix clearly loves these kind of movies no matter how bad it is, (probably a fetish)
There really isn't anything to enjoy from this film.
An average movie
gnshkini18 August 2021
Nothing original about the plot. Average story line. Movie was shot really good and decent acting by most of them. You will probably finish off the movie once you start just to see how it ends but in the end there is no sense of satisfaction of a enjoyable movie.
more I think about worse it get...
waltercarlucci11 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
It was bad, the script was bad, halfway in the movie i figured it out. Because the story was weak, they added sex and some horror scenes. The start was promising, but then it got bad. The character are stereotype with no depth. The acting was kind of average. A dog kills a woman on broad daylight on a remote island and nobody cares... The girl stabs herself in the foot for now real reason, what a psycho move. The guy's whole family dies, and his friends are laughing...
Decent
deshan-7858018 August 2021
Simply awful
youraantimoz20 August 2021
Had movie potential & sadly just came off dumb.
ts-000020 August 2021
Felt like it was trying to be a quality production,but couldn't bring that across on screen.
It also had a nothing new & clichéd storyline,which didn't help matters.
Average(amateurish)acting & cinematography,not worth seeing.. Again.
It also had a nothing new & clichéd storyline,which didn't help matters.
Average(amateurish)acting & cinematography,not worth seeing.. Again.
Okay as a crime-mysterie for teens.
johannes2000-126 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
When I was younger, I loved to watch "Tatort"- and "Derrick"-krimi's on German television, and this movie "Schwarzes Insel" could easily serve as an extended episode of such a television series. The story may be a bit intricate, but it's consistently brought to a satisfying conclusion, the acting of all involved is adequate and the location (the island Amrum) is beautiful. But as a feature film it's all a bit too little and lackluster. And with a 16 year old high school youngster as main character it came dangerously close to being "just" a teen movie.
There are more reservations to mention. The lovestory between young Jonas and his teacher was a bit farfetched to begin with (whatever the motivations for the teacher in this story may have been, they didn't seem to be in sync with the whole vengeance-concept), her coming on to him came rather out of the blue, and to be honest: his girlfriend was way more attractive than this troubled looking elder lady. And I could go along with her vicious scheming for a long time, but when she killed someone in the middle of the school, packed the body up and dragged this extremely suspect and conspicuous looking package down several corridors and through the parking lot in broad daylight during school hours, I gave up. I mean: a tiny bit of realism may be expected in such a movie!
I'm just a bit sorry for young actor Philip Froissant, he's so good-looking and I would have wished a better vehicle for him to shine in.
There are more reservations to mention. The lovestory between young Jonas and his teacher was a bit farfetched to begin with (whatever the motivations for the teacher in this story may have been, they didn't seem to be in sync with the whole vengeance-concept), her coming on to him came rather out of the blue, and to be honest: his girlfriend was way more attractive than this troubled looking elder lady. And I could go along with her vicious scheming for a long time, but when she killed someone in the middle of the school, packed the body up and dragged this extremely suspect and conspicuous looking package down several corridors and through the parking lot in broad daylight during school hours, I gave up. I mean: a tiny bit of realism may be expected in such a movie!
I'm just a bit sorry for young actor Philip Froissant, he's so good-looking and I would have wished a better vehicle for him to shine in.
Wasting time
Xristos-Lamia22 August 2021
First honest review
halflifeiris29 August 2021
The movie, though, not original in the plot was more enjoyable than what these people are saying. Movies are critiqued right down to the fine details where it isn't even a movie anymore. Characters were enjoyable, the tension was superb and downright scary in comparison to other movies. Only some scenes were unrealistic. The plot boils down to a kid who doesn't know what is right and wrong, and it gets that right. You will enjoy a movie if you let it be a movie. 7/10.
Good German thriller
traceytak19 August 2021
Perverse adult-minor physical relationship. What the heck?
zhivago9727 August 2021
This is categorized as a teen movie???
Not to be a prude, but the premise of normalizing a physically intimate relationship between a 30-something year old high school teacher and an underage student is totally inappropriate, not to mention creepy. Because the boy thinks it's cool to be with a cougar does not make this right. None of the characters apparently know about age of consent.
Nothing in the movie points to how sick this behavior is, it's all glossed over like they are equals, two consenting adults. They aren't consenting adults, the boy is barely out of puberty.
I won't give away the twist but it's even worse than I describe.
The rest of the movie has no merit and isn't worth discussing.
Not to be a prude, but the premise of normalizing a physically intimate relationship between a 30-something year old high school teacher and an underage student is totally inappropriate, not to mention creepy. Because the boy thinks it's cool to be with a cougar does not make this right. None of the characters apparently know about age of consent.
Nothing in the movie points to how sick this behavior is, it's all glossed over like they are equals, two consenting adults. They aren't consenting adults, the boy is barely out of puberty.
I won't give away the twist but it's even worse than I describe.
The rest of the movie has no merit and isn't worth discussing.
Common concept with irrational love scene
mohona_reza21 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The movie build up the thriller well and makes it look like a horror movie. But the ultimate reveal is predictable. I do not understand the sudden heart attack of the grandfather looking at Ms Yung. Also Nina's death was sad. Most importantly, my question is Ms Yung wanted revenge, then why she was seducing Jonas? The whole steamy love part had no logic.
Odd Happenings in the middle of Nowhere
TruView19 August 2021
Black Island is very simply a coming of age story about an adolescent male whose life circumstances begin spinning wildly out of control after the death of his grandmother. As a plot device, the student-teacher relationship is exploited to all levels of indecency; but while this might attract some curiosity at the outset, it fails to keep for lack of anything more substantive until....
...the discovery of a family secret that threatens to throw his entire world into a tailspin.
...the discovery of a family secret that threatens to throw his entire world into a tailspin.
One scene ruins all
Mike13882 September 2021
Tbh I was hooked since the first and I think the casts did good job and the film was shot beautifully. But, there's one scene that happened involving a murder (no spoiler) and the film went downhill afterwards. It's quite amusing actually, but that would easily turned off anyone with two brain cells. Overall, an average thriller that could do much better without that one dumb scene and a better buildup-linking the twist in the beginning.
Mostly good
wijajo-7256320 August 2021
The film does well to create suspense, acting is good, and most of the characters are believable. Unfortunately, one or two critical moments appeared a little unrealistic or silly, and this drags the film down a bit, which is a shame when so many key pieces are there.
I feel more back story or foreshadowing could also have been welcome for one of the main leads when the motive is revealed.
I feel more back story or foreshadowing could also have been welcome for one of the main leads when the motive is revealed.
Lack of explanation in some parts of the plot
MikBelmonte29 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It is an average story to pass the time. Decent acting though, excellent landscape and very well shot movie.
The depth of the characters is not built at all, and the main character is too dumb, as he believes every thing his teacher tells him.
At the very beginning a dog attacks an old lady and this event is never explained as the story goes on.
Also, Nina gives Jonas a paper bag that he never opens.
Then, because I don't speak German, I couldn't read the lines on the wall in Jonas's bedroom.
Isn't it odd for someone to break into your home without warning? For Jonas that seems to be good.
Helena gets away with it all too well when she murders Nina and gets rid off the body in broad daylight, and no one worries about her when she disappears.
Is it normal that she doesn't answer her calls? Don't her parents worry about her when she doesn't come home to sleep?
If you keep thinking, when you realize she is his aunt, the sex part is unnecessary and only makes her more twisted. She could seduce him, without going as far as having sex (although they are both adults now) adding sex to the plot doesn't build too much to her background.
I think that sums up what I have to say.
The depth of the characters is not built at all, and the main character is too dumb, as he believes every thing his teacher tells him.
At the very beginning a dog attacks an old lady and this event is never explained as the story goes on.
Also, Nina gives Jonas a paper bag that he never opens.
Then, because I don't speak German, I couldn't read the lines on the wall in Jonas's bedroom.
Isn't it odd for someone to break into your home without warning? For Jonas that seems to be good.
Helena gets away with it all too well when she murders Nina and gets rid off the body in broad daylight, and no one worries about her when she disappears.
Is it normal that she doesn't answer her calls? Don't her parents worry about her when she doesn't come home to sleep?
If you keep thinking, when you realize she is his aunt, the sex part is unnecessary and only makes her more twisted. She could seduce him, without going as far as having sex (although they are both adults now) adding sex to the plot doesn't build too much to her background.
I think that sums up what I have to say.
Good enough for one viewing.
deloudelouvain9 October 2023
Schwarze Insel (or Black Island for the English title) is a German crime/drama spiced up with a bit of mystery. You keep guessing for a while but it isn't too difficult to figure it out. Once you figure it out it's getting lesser interesting to follow. It feels also a little bit too much as a teenager movie, with a typical bad soundtrack. The acting is most of the time okay but it could have been better, especially in the strangling scenes that didn't look too convincing. In the end it's a watchable movie, just good enough for a one time viewing. I've seen worse, way worse in this genre so I'm not complaining.
Trash
maduro-0794926 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Too much sex for a PG13 movie. Very boring and predictable. Reminds me of Lifetime movies. I regret watching this movie. The sex scenes were longer than the important scenes. I had to forward constantly.
The actors are way too old to be in high school. Use of bad words were absolutely not necessary.
Some scenes were long and boring; added nothing to the storyline.
In this day and age, I mean, no cameras? Murder in school, but no one saw or heard anything.
No forensic investigation? No DNA evidence?
Please! I wish I had payed more attention to the reviews.
What a waste of my time! Just trash!!!!! I do not recommend.
The actors are way too old to be in high school. Use of bad words were absolutely not necessary.
Some scenes were long and boring; added nothing to the storyline.
In this day and age, I mean, no cameras? Murder in school, but no one saw or heard anything.
No forensic investigation? No DNA evidence?
Please! I wish I had payed more attention to the reviews.
What a waste of my time! Just trash!!!!! I do not recommend.
Black Island
turtleloverules21 September 2021
Black Island
Tweekums13 August 2023
This German drama is set on the Frisian Island of Amrum. It opens with a woman being attacked and killed by a large dog; four months later her son and his wife are run off the road and die. The main action starts a year later and the couple's son, Jonas, is living with his grandfather. It appears that his life is getting along well under the circumstances but then, after his teacher is replaced by a substitute, Helena Jung, things start going in ways he couldn't have expected. Helena soon starts an inappropriate relationship with him and his friends, most notably Nina, realise something is wrong with her. Before the film is over tragedy will strike the island again and old secrets will be revealed.
For the most part I thought this was a good, solid drama. It started well and built tension nicely. It even delivered an unexpected event midway through that provided a real shock. Unfortunately after that things got a bit more cliché as events lead to a finale that won't surprise too many viewers. The acting is decent; especially from the leads and the island location provides a great atmosphere as well as pleasant scenery. Overall I wouldn't say this was a must see but if you enjoy the genre it is certainly worth checking out.
These comments are based on watching the film in German with English subtitles.
For the most part I thought this was a good, solid drama. It started well and built tension nicely. It even delivered an unexpected event midway through that provided a real shock. Unfortunately after that things got a bit more cliché as events lead to a finale that won't surprise too many viewers. The acting is decent; especially from the leads and the island location provides a great atmosphere as well as pleasant scenery. Overall I wouldn't say this was a must see but if you enjoy the genre it is certainly worth checking out.
These comments are based on watching the film in German with English subtitles.
Simple-minded
jshaoiqwljj18 August 2021
complete waste of time!
tarikb-623-64236025 August 2021
I watched this film because it was shot on Amrum and the pictures from this beautiful Isle are really wonderful!
The rest is just awful and a complete waste of time! The acting is bad, the story is annoying and the cheap sex Scenes are not neccessary at all!
Netflix quality is going more and more down, what a shame!
The rest is just awful and a complete waste of time! The acting is bad, the story is annoying and the cheap sex Scenes are not neccessary at all!
Netflix quality is going more and more down, what a shame!
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