The Island review – Michael Jai White punches up in stunt-filled Caribbean action flick

On an unnamed island in the Caribbean, a cartel boss named Manuel (Edoardo Costa) kills bartender Akeem (Tristan Duncan) merely because he spills a drink on Nora (Cami Storm), a young singer Manuel was planning to lock up in his villa and force to sing only for himself, like a canary. The murder is not only grisly and bad management practice, but also consequential because it brings down the wrath of Akeem’s brother Mark (action movie star Michael Jai White, from Mortal Kombat and Black Dynamite), an LA policeman. It turns out Mark grew up on the island where he left behind an ex-wife, Akilah (Gillian White, who is married to her co-star Michael in real life), his mother and lots of old friends. Swearing to find out how Akeem really died, he moves back and a series of fisticuff face-offs ensue as he works through the chain of command, eventually finding his way to Manuel.

Directed ploddingly by Shaun Paul Piccinino, a sometime actor himself with a background in stunts, this isn’t going to win any awards, but it has a certain charm as grindhouse schlock. Michael Jai White has a stately gravitas and he’s clearly doing most of his own stunts, which also goes for Gillian White, whose character here runs a martial arts dojo for kids. The chemistry between them is entirely convincing and enough to get viewers rooting for them both to survive so they can get back together.

Judging by the end credits, the location seems to have been in and around St Kitts and Nevis but presumably the tiny two-island nation didn’t want to scare off potential tourists. Even so it’s as if this film was made specifically by and for middle-aged and older West Indians who value manners, chivalry and community. All those values are elevated in the final act when, after a rousing speech in a church from Mark, the whole island comes out to help Mark, Akilah and Mark’s smartass police buddy Phil to take down the cartel boss and his gang. Bless!

• The Island is released on 29 January on digital platforms.