Mysterious Island
4.4/10 · 2,457 ratings20052h 52mWeirdness 5/10
JustWatchThe premise
To escape evils of the Civil War, Cyrus removes his small family and random war prisoners by way of hot air balloon. Once landing on an island, the group finds they are surrounded by danger from giant insects and gold-craving pirates. Turned away by the only safe haven on the island, owned by Captain Nemo, played by Sir Patrick Stewart, the group is forced to find shelter and survive.
How unusual is it?
Middle of the road, with a twist — supernatural twists and a historical setting keep it from being totally by-the-book.
Rare specifics
Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.
Who’s in it
Alongside them
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Behind the camera
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Directed by
Written by
Wait, what?
The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.
- Giant 20-foot praying mantis
- Rats the size of small horses
- Thorium-induced gigantism
- A Civil War balloon escape to a monster island
- Captain Nemo building a nuclear-style bomb in 1865
Every trope, all in one place
Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 20 to find more movies that do the same thing.
Setting3
Time & season3
Conflict2
Tone & quirks1
Why we’d put this one on
Forget cozy romance entirely: this is a Jules Verne monster-island adventure, and it is wild. Civil War escapees flee a prison camp by hot air balloon and crash-land on an uncharted island crawling with giant mutated creatures, where the reclusive Captain Nemo, played by Patrick Stewart, has built a high-tech fortress. Kyle MacLachlan leads the survivors. The set pieces are something: a 20-foot praying mantis, rats the size of small horses, and Nemo assembling a nuclear-style bomb in 1865. At a 4.4 and a hefty 172 minutes, it is rough and overlong, the clearest reminder that this catalog stretches far past small-town Christmas. Perfect for a so-bad-it's-fun night.
How it all plays out
Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.
Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with a group of treasure hunters being slaughtered by unseen monsters on a remote island. In 1865, Union Captain Cyrus Smith and his friend Neb plan an escape from a Confederate prison camp in Richmond. They are joined by a disgraced Confederate soldier named Pencroff and a mother and daughter, Jane and Helen, who were searching for Jane's husband. The group steals a Confederate scouting balloon during a violent storm and is blown thousands of miles across the ocean. When the balloon begins to leak, Cyrus jumps into the sea to lighten the load, allowing the others to reach the shore of a mysterious island. While the survivors encounter giant insects—including a massive praying mantis that kills a soldier named Lemay—Cyrus is rescued by Joseph, the servant of Captain Nemo. Nemo lives in a technologically advanced compound powered by seawater-derived electricity. He reveals that the island's fauna has grown to monstrous proportions due to 'thorium,' a radioactive substance he uses for his experiments. Nemo eventually rescues the rest of the group from giant ants and brings them to his home, the Nautilus. However, tension rises when Nemo reveals his ultimate goal: to build a thorium bomb so powerful it will end all war through the threat of total destruction. Cyrus, an engineer, refuses to help Nemo create the weapon on moral grounds. Angered by the refusal, Nemo casts the group out of his compound. The survivors are forced to brave the jungle again, narrowly escaping a giant bird attack, while a band of pirates led by Bob Harvey arrives on the island seeking 'Isabella's gold.' The film concludes with the survivors realizing they must work together to find a way off the island while caught between Nemo's cold idealism and the deadly wildlife.
Beat by beat
Opening
A group of Union and Confederate prisoners escape Richmond in a hot air balloon during a storm.
Inciting Incident
The balloon crashes on a mysterious island; Cyrus Smith is separated from the group and rescued by Captain Nemo.
Midpoint
The survivors encounter giant monsters, including a 20-foot praying mantis and giant rats, before being reunited at Nemo's compound.
Rising Action
Nemo reveals his plan to build a thorium bomb to end all wars and demands Cyrus's help as an engineer.
Climax
Cyrus refuses to help Nemo; Nemo casts the group out into the monster-infested jungle to fend for themselves.
Resolution
The survivors find a rotten boat and resolve to work together to escape the island despite the monsters and pirates.
Did you know?
A few things that make this one stand out once you stack it up against every other Hallmark movie.
It's the only Hallmark movie in the catalog where the lead is a war refugee.
At 2h 52m it's a genuine epic by Hallmark standards — only about 58 of their movies run two hours or longer.
20 tropes in one movie
We counted 20 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.
The backstory
- Based on The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.
Mysterious Island is a 2005 television film made for Hallmark Channel that is very loosely based on Jules Verne's 1875 novel of the same name. It was filmed in Thailand and directed by Russell Mulcahy.
How it stacks up
Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.
Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.
Where this one fits
The corners of the catalog Mysterious Island belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.
Lines worth quoting
The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.
“I, for one, assure you that all of it is true. And it is the reason I call this island... Home.”
— Captain NemoOpening narration describing the island's terrors. “There's a rat the size of a small horse staring at us. And I for one do not want to be next on the...”
— PencroffWhen the group encounters a giant rodent in the jungle. “I am developing a weapon so powerful, it could obliterate an entire city.”
— Captain NemoExplaining his thorium bomb to Cyrus.
Meet the characters
Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.
Cyrus Smith
LeadUnion Captain and Engineer
principledbraveintelligentJane
Love interestNurse/Mother
Fellow survivor and potential romantic interest
protectiveresilientCaptain Nemo
AntagonistScientist and Inventor
Captor and reluctant savior
reclusivecynicalbrilliantembitteredPencroff
SupportingConfederate Soldier
Reluctant ally
greedycowardlycomic reliefNeb
SupportingFormer Slave/Soldier
Cyrus's closest friend
loyalstrong
Questions people ask about Mysterious Island
Where can I watch Mysterious Island?
Mysterious Island is available in the UK via Plex. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.
Is Mysterious Island based on a book?
Yes. Mysterious Island is based on The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne.
How long is Mysterious Island?
Mysterious Island runs about 2 hours and 52 minutes, and was released in 2005.
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Data and sources
Curated by the Talking Hallmark team.Last updated .