I saw this because I am fascinated by the real mystery involving the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers without a trace in 1900 in a remote Scottish island. To this day it remains an inexplicable enigma, though there are many theories trying to explain it, going from a supernatural event to an attack by a gang of pirates or to an extraterrestrial abduction. This movie presents a theory that is not impossible, but has many implausibilities.
The most annoying thing for me is the constant hand held camera, unstable, trembling, even in long, static shots. It can't stay still? It ruins completely an otherwise fantastic location cinematography.
Another thing is the number of anachronisms. Wireless radio was still experimental in 1900, there's no way they would have one fully available on the island. Also the lighthouse is fully electrified by generators. This could be possible, but it would require huge amounts of fuel to be transported regularly to such a remote location. It would be very costly, and would have to be delivered very frequently. The problem is that winters are very harsh in that part of Scotland, and very often they would get cut off from the mainland for weeks at a time. And finally, the boat of the intruders looks too modern to me. It seems to work with diesel fuel rather than steam.
Also there are plot holes. Who are the intruders and what were they doing with the gold? They seem to be Nordic; how did they get there across the North Sea in such a small boat? When Donald is killed at the end, his colleagues take his body to dump into the open sea. Why not bury him on the island and explain his death later as an unfortunate accident? After all, he had a good reason to be there. It would look perfectly logical. Finally, the dog keeps disappearing and appearing again throughout the movie, and at the end supposedly is the only living being left on the rock. Still, there's no mention of a dog being found alive in the real story. Let us suppose they included it in the story just to fill the space.
Entertaining enough for a night of adventure and mystery. Great locations marred by murderous camerawork. Turn a blind eye on the obvious anachronisms and it keeps you guessing till the end.
The most annoying thing for me is the constant hand held camera, unstable, trembling, even in long, static shots. It can't stay still? It ruins completely an otherwise fantastic location cinematography.
Another thing is the number of anachronisms. Wireless radio was still experimental in 1900, there's no way they would have one fully available on the island. Also the lighthouse is fully electrified by generators. This could be possible, but it would require huge amounts of fuel to be transported regularly to such a remote location. It would be very costly, and would have to be delivered very frequently. The problem is that winters are very harsh in that part of Scotland, and very often they would get cut off from the mainland for weeks at a time. And finally, the boat of the intruders looks too modern to me. It seems to work with diesel fuel rather than steam.
Also there are plot holes. Who are the intruders and what were they doing with the gold? They seem to be Nordic; how did they get there across the North Sea in such a small boat? When Donald is killed at the end, his colleagues take his body to dump into the open sea. Why not bury him on the island and explain his death later as an unfortunate accident? After all, he had a good reason to be there. It would look perfectly logical. Finally, the dog keeps disappearing and appearing again throughout the movie, and at the end supposedly is the only living being left on the rock. Still, there's no mention of a dog being found alive in the real story. Let us suppose they included it in the story just to fill the space.
Entertaining enough for a night of adventure and mystery. Great locations marred by murderous camerawork. Turn a blind eye on the obvious anachronisms and it keeps you guessing till the end.