Monster Island (2017 film)

Monster Island (released as Isla Calaca in Mexico) is a 2017 English-language Mexican computer animated horror comedy film directed by Leopoldo Aguilar. The film was produced by Ánima Estudios and animated by India's Discreet Arts Production.[7]

Monster Island
Official Poster
Directed byLeopoldo Aguilar
Written byBilly Frolick
Produced byFernando de Fuentes
José C. García de Letona
StarringPhillip Vasquez
Roger L. Jackson
Johnny Rose
Fiona Hardingham
Katie Leigh
Eric Larsen
Michael Robles
Nancy Sullivan
Jenifer Beth Kaplan
Edited byLuciana Jauffred Gorostiza
Rhen Fontaine
Music byKevin Smithers[1]
Production
companies
Ánima Estudios
Discreet Arts Productions
Distributed byCorazón Films
Release dates
  • 14 September 2017 (2017-09-14) (Mexico)
  • 20 February 2021 (2021-02-20) (Spain)
Running time
80 minutes[2]
CountriesMexico
Spain
India
United States
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Budget$1.04 million[3]
Box officeMX$18.9 million
(US$2.1 million)[4][5][6]

The film was first released in the United Kingdom on 21 July 2017, and later in Mexico on 14 September 2017.[2][8] The film was released in the United States on 1 September 2017 on home media and VOD platforms.[9]

Plot

A teenage boy journeys to a monstrous-like island to find his true form after discovering he's not a human being.

Voice cast

Spanish-language cast
  • Memo Aponte as Lucas[10]
  • Octavio Rojas as Nicolas
  • Pepe Toño Macías as Norcutt
  • Alicia Barragán as Veronica
  • Ángela Villanueva Vargas as Carlotta
  • Luis Daniel Ramírez as Fergus
  • Ricardo Tejedo as Giraldo
  • Alan F. Velazquez & Gerardo Alonso as Shiro and Kuro

English-language cast
  • Phillip Adrian Vasquez as Lucas
  • Roger L. Jackson as Nicolas
  • Johnny Rose as Norcutt
  • Alicia Barragán as Veronica
  • Katie Leigh as Carlotta / Patrick's Mom
  • Eric Larsen as Peter / Ant Monster
  • Michael Robles as Cameron
  • Nancy Sullivan as Dina / Old Lady / Teacher
  • Jenifer Beth Kaplan as Melanie / Cameron's Mom / Patrick
  • Joey Camen as Shiro / Fergus / Mayor's Assistant
  • Wally Wingert as Kuro / Lagoon Monster
  • Chuck Kourouklis as Durgo / Dock Master
  • Erik Brada as Giraldo / Mongo
  • Luis Daniel Ramírez Santiago as Watson
  • Anthony Budai as Mayor

Production

In an interview with El Universal, director Leopoldo Aguilar said the purpose of the film's story is to help the audience understand their roots and learn to accept them.[11] "Lucas is a teenager who lives this path, [and] he makes a trip to accept himself as the monster he is," Aguilar stated.[11] "I think everyone at that age went through that process - to know what place we occupy in the world and try to discover ourselves," he added.[11] Producer and Ánima COO José C. García de Letona mentioned about the film's "comedy and action" tone, in comparison to the Leyendas franchise.[11] "It has elements to differentiate from the Leyendas, and this one, since it is a film designed for something global and[...] the public that we want to reach, there's not much suspense," stated Aguilar.[11]

Animation

The film was animated entirely in computer-generated imagery,[12] done by India's Discreet Arts Productions which has previously collaborated with Anima Estudios' previous films including Guardians of Oz and Top Cat Begins.

Music

The film's original music was composed by Kevin Smithers.[1]

Release

To date, the film has been released in Mexico, United States, and the United Kingdom, as well as Asian territories including China and South Korea.[10]

The release in China marked a new first for production company Ánima Estudios, to which Leopoldo Aguilar stated that the film's story was created for a global setting, and not Mexico where the film was produced.[11] "Narratively[,] we wanted a funny story[...] that walks a lot without locating it in a place in Mexico[.] [I]t can be anywhere in the world[...] that already gives another face to the production," said Aguilar.[11]

Box office

The film debuted at #3 in Mexico, grossing $6.86 million (est. US$0.4 million) on its opening weekend.[13] It grossed a total of $18.9 million pesos.[4]

Reception

The film was met with negative reviews upon its release.[2][14][15] On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a "Rotten" score of "18%" based on 11 reviews.[16] On Tomatazos, the film has a score of "10%".[17]

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominees Result
2017 14th Premios Canacine Mejor Película de Animación Leopoldo Aguilar Won[18]

See also

References
  1. "Composer Kevin Smithers visits MONSTER ISLAND". Musique Fantastique. Musique Fantastique. 19 November 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  2. Richards, Olly (17 July 2017). "Monster Island Review". Empire (film magazine). Empire. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. (last updated 19 July 2017)
  3. "Eficine-Proyectos aprobados (resultados 2014)". SEGOB (in Spanish). DOF. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023. Note: Combined MXN budget - $18,150,000
  4. "Películas Animadas 2000 – 2018". Canacine. Canacine. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  5. "Resultados definitivos 2017" (PDF). Canacine. Canacine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  6. "Monster Island". Box Office Mojo. Amazon, Inc. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017. Totals calculated; not shown on website.
  7. Rosales, Johel (4 July 2017). "Isla Calaca: nueva película de Ánima Estudios". ANMTV. anmtv.la. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. In Spanish.
  8. Suarez, Andrea (11 September 2017). "CINESWAG - ISLA CALACA : NUEVA PELÍCULA DE ÁNIMA ESTUDIOS". Capital Comic. Capital Comic. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. In Spanish.
  9. Zahed, Ramin (1 September 2017). "Anima's 'Monster Island' Scares Up New Eyeballs". Animation Magazine. Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  10. ""Isla Calaca" lo nuevo de Ánima Estudios". Noticas 1070. Noticas 1070. 14 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. In Spanish.
  11. Huerta Ortiz, Cesar (2 September 2017). "Monstruos de "La isla Calaca" invaden cines". El Universal (Mexico City). El Universal. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. In Spanish.
  12. ""Isla Calaca" llegará con sus monstruos a salas mexicanas de cine". 20 Minutos. 20 Minutos. 14 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  13. "Mexico Box Office, September 15-17, 2017". Box Office Mojo. Amazon, Inc. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  14. Bradshaw, Peter (20 July 2017). "Monster Island review – forgettable family animation". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  15. Salinas, Mabel (15 September 2017). "Isla Calaca – Crítica". Cine Premiere. Cine Premiere. Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017. In Spanish.
  16. "Monster Island". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  17. "Película: Isla Calaca". Tomatazos (in Spanish). BuscaTodo.com S de RL de CV. Archived from the original on 14 July 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  18. "Ganadores de los Premios Canacine 2017". Re Toma. Cine Toma. 9 December 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2019. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
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