'Hidden Murder Island' Review: Lifetime's thriller explores the dark side of pride and obsession
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Lifetime's new thriller movie, 'Hidden Murder Island', is finally here, and it has got our attention. Based on a true story, the movie centers around two women who are viciously attacked during a camping trip. Unfortunately, one of them loses her life, while the other is rescued by an unknown individual. The survivor is left with amnesia and spends the rest of the film attempting to unravel the events of that tragic day. The official synopsis of the movie, provided by LMN, reads as follows: "Inspired by a true story, 'Hidden Murder Island' follows the story of a woman who is the lone survivor of a camping attack. Rescued by a stranger in the woods, she returns to her parents' opulent island estate, plagued by amnesia and in search of answers about the traumatic incident. What she discovers is a far-reaching conspiracy that goes beyond her wildest imagination."
The mystery thriller, was helmed by directors Bruno Hernandez and Damian Romay. The screenplay for the film was penned by Richard Lister, who also holds the position of executive producer alongside Sebastian Battro, Tom Berry, and Louisa Cadywould. Jacobo Rispa and Damian Romay of Sunshine Films produced the suspenseful drama. With Andrea Bogart, Donny Boaz, and Allie Forsberg on the cast, 'Hidden Murder Island' explores the depth of human relationships, mental health, and how obsession with pride can affect them both.
RELATED ARTICLES
'Hidden Murder Island': Release date and how to watch thriller drama
Who stars in 'Hidden Murder Island'? Full cast list of thriller-crime drama
Frank's obsession with his family name ruined everything he loved
Throughout the length of the movie, we see our antagonist Frank (Donny Boaz) as a typical hyper-egotistical "family man" who will do whatever it takes to save and protect his family. Ironically, he ends up being the one who destroys the family and the surname, which he holds above all. His glorious estate on an island is his legacy, and his surname, Connely, is respected throughout the island. This creates a sense of insecurity inside Frank's head as he takes drastic measures to keep his family under his guard and control. His wife, Beth (Andrea Bogart), had cheated on him once, so maybe his insecurity inflated due to this incident. As we see his daughter Fey (Allie Forsberg) suffering from amnesia after surviving a brutal accident in the woods, Frank becomes frustrated seeing Connely having mental health problems. He didn't even take his doctor's opinion to get medical advice from a psychiatrist. Later, it became clear that the fateful accident that occurred in the woods was no accident after all. He purposefully choreographed the killing of Maddie, Fey's partner, as he was disapproving of her daughter's homosexual relationship. Till the climax, Frank had always confidently defended himself as the guardian of the family and never questioned his loyalty or his intentions towards the family, which shows he was obsessed and so full of himself that he couldn't differentiate between logic and emotion.
The shady relationship between Frank, Curt, and his mother
Beth cheated on Frank once, and since then, Frank has forgiven her and given her a second chance. But one day, Beth sees an unknown woman in his office and instantly thinks that her husband might be having an affair. Checking his computer, she found a large sum of money had been transferred from his account. When confronted, Frank denied the allegation and stated that the woman was a loan shark who was there to collect the dues that Frank owed her. He reinforced his statement by adding a pinch of manipulation by stating that he took the loan to cover for his family while Beth left.
At the house, we see another creepy character named Curt, who seems to have an unexplained connection with the Connelys. He comes to their home every night for dinner, which seems quite odd to Fey, who is repulsed by Curt. Curt keeps on saying one thing to Frank. "You owe me". Later in the movie, it was discovered that the lady was Curt's mom. Frank never took a loan. He entered into a deal with Curt's mother to keep her mouth shut about Maddie's death. Frank used Curt to intimidate Maddie, as he wanted her out of Fey's life. This entire mess led to Curt and Maddie losing their lives, Frank ending up in prison, and Beth and Fey going through a traumatic phase in their lives.
'Hidden Murder Island' is available to stream on Lifetime.