Islands

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1:45

Islands

Jan 2026

2h 1m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

54 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

In this twisty thriller, a tennis coach at a tropical resort finds himself at the center of a missing persons mystery. Tom (Sam Riley) teaches tennis during the day and parties at night. When an enigmatic tourist (Stacy Martin) arrives, Tom is unable to shake the feeling he has met her before. Tension and attraction grow, until her husband (Jack Farthing) disappears, and the police suspect Tom.

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Critics Consensus

A glossy, slow burn thriller carried by soulful performances, Islands compellingly explores loneliness with artful restraint and intoxicating atmosphere.

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John Powers

NPR

Feb 19, 2026

In its blend of high-art style and pulp crime story, Islands is a nifty piece of what we might call Existential Pop.

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Carlos Aguilar

RogerEbert.com

Jan 30, 2026

3/4

The character construction and how their respective desires intersect with one another, in tandem with an effectively dizzying atmosphere, render it more original than expected.

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Peter Travers

The Travers Take

Jan 30, 2026

3/4

A sexy tennis bum (Sam Riley) and a married woman (Stacy Martin) meet at a resort and stir up murderous thoughts in a too cryptic thriller fthat recalls Hitchcock and Antonioni while revealing a tormented mind of its own.

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James Croot

The Post NZ

Aug 13, 2026

3.5/5

Beautifully shot and well acted by the central trio, Islands is a film of moods and feelings, rather than a propulsive narrative. But it certainly intrigues enough to draw you in and leave you thinking, long after the credits roll.

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Kyle Wolfe

Pop Culture Leftovers

May 30, 2026

Islands may not resonate with everyone, particularly those craving momentum or clear answers, but for viewers attuned to its wavelength, it leaves a lingering impression.

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

May 5, 2026

3/5

This familiar-feeling psychological drama is given a mysterious, existential twist by German director Jan-Ole Gerster.

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Angela L

Feb 8, 2026

I dont get the high positive review for this movie. I found it slow and boring with no point.

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caldera

Feb 8, 2026

Horrible no pointt what so ever

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Remy

Feb 1, 2026

Don't know where they were going with the movie but enjoyed it enough for the vibes

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Aldis H

@plever Sep 5, 2026

Shades of a lot of things including a bit of The Stranger by Camus. Really subtle and affecting movie.

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Alejandro C

@RT71669252 Aug 8, 2026

The movie seems to be going great as a thriller, even neo noir with a love triangle plot, but mid movie or so becomes bland and trivial, full of so what scenes and anti climatic outcomes. I dont expect killings or big plots with transcendental issues, but man, at least some spice. The storyline is very enticing, backdrop of Fuerteventura greatly played against these seemingly out of context characters, but then, it all becomes Mr Smith and Mrs Smith chatting about the garden with a cup of tea... And the protagonist had so much potential to be at the center of a plot full of twists and great dialogues, but he is wasted on a kidney pie melodrama for grandaunts in a Leeds suburbian retirement home...

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Dennis K

@dragonintherain Aug 2, 2026

I'm not a philosopher. Beautiful scenery. Odd story. I guess well written, it's got interesting twists. The main actor reminds me of John Hurt. He was excellent. It's got lonely sad rich people looking for meaning and a camel. I didn't feel good at the end.

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Jan-Ole Gerster

Director

Sam Riley

Tom

Stacy Martin

Anne

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Islands: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In this twisty thriller, a tennis coach at a tropical resort finds himself at the center of a missing persons mystery. Tom (Sam Riley) teaches tennis during the day and parties at night. When an enigmatic tourist (Stacy Martin) arrives, Tom is unable to shake the feeling he has met her before. Tension and attraction grow, until her husband (Jack Farthing) disappears, and the police suspect Tom.

Director: Jan-Ole Gerster
Producer: Maximilian Leo, Jonas Katzenstein
Screenwriter: Jan-Ole Gerster, Lawrie Doran, Blaz Kutin
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Leonine Studios, Deutscher Filmförderfonds, Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, NRW Film Board, Augenschein Filmproduktion, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Schiwago Film
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 30, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 13, 2026
Runtime: 2h 1m
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1

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