It's a mystery/supernatural drama where a girl with "healing" abilities gets locked up on a remote island by her foster parents. The premise is interesting and the movie holds your attention well until the very end. The finale has a nice twist that you likely won't expect. One of the ideas it delivers pretty well is that people's generic morals usually get trashed when it's about their survival or survival of their closest relatives. Also that most people are inherently egoistic and try not to share something that benefits them, even if the potential benefits to others would vastly outweigh.

Just think of the movie's premise: a girl can heal people almost instantly by just letting them come close to her. How would a scientist or an engineer react to such a phenomenon? Obviously, research WHAT makes her have these powers. Why? Because the implications can be revolutionary. Imagine the huge positive impact to medicine worldwide. Millions, even billions of people could be saved. Yet, none of the dimwits populating this island cares. For 10 years, they keep the girl to themselves and create a semi-religious cult around her. And when troubles start, what do they do? They gather in a anonymous alcoholics-like meeting. To do what? No, not to strategize. But to "share their feelings" while holding a plush bear. The girl's step-father is the guy who found her as a baby. It was a random find so it could as well be anyone else. In his eternal wisdom, he doesn't want the girl to get abused by the "mainlanders" (the world outside the island). I guess, because scientists will stick needles into her and crack open her skull just out of curiosity, right? It's certainly better if she grows on a remote island and thinks that Paris is an imaginary place from fairy tales and treats an old TV set is a miracle.

A big plot hole that kinda kept nagging me throughout the movie: how could these island's inhabitants survive on an island for 10 years without ever contacting the mainland? After all, they aren't living in Medieval times so that they could create clothes, tools and everything else from wood, stone and leaves. In 10 years, batteries would run out, tools would break, and cars would burn through all of the gas. So, magically, the island lives as if it has all the modern resources like oil, metals, and basically the whole modern economy run in the background by something like 20-30 hillbillies + 1 drunk doctor. This doctor could prescribe only sleeping pills by the way, and those are still okay to take after 10 years. Or the pills just magically manifested themselves because well, it's a supernatural drama. And to light up the town, you don't need a power plant. It's just enough to find an electric cable lying on the road with sparks in it.

I was happy when the girl finally left the island - and that's where the movie had to end. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride!

One of Cinema's greatest virtues is working with themes that discuss morals, belief, power and human nature. This proposal is never easy to execute, nor to be fully understood in the final production result. What is seen on the screen can often result in controversy, subversion and controversies even if the narrative there brings a portrait close to our reality.

The Canadian film The King Tide (2023) by Christian Sparkes aims to work with these issues. Here, the director intends to explore the changes in a peaceful, isolated and idyllic fishing village that changes its behavior after the unexpected arrival of a girl with extraordinary powers.

Of course, Sparkes uses Fiction, as well as metaphors and symbolism, to dialogue with much of what we see in society. Once again, Cinema reflects on the impacts of a community that will now need to deal with the powers at its disposal. Far from being another typical superhero film, the gift of the girl Isla (Alix West Lefler) will serve as the trigger for a series of changes in the village.

Another important resource for creating a dark atmosphere in the film is the desolate situation of the village itself. Furthermore, residents are determined not to have contact with other places, and they don't even look for doctors and clinics outside the island. This adds a tone of conservatism that ends up weighing on the girl's situation of extreme idolatry, in addition to impacting the antagonism of ideas among some inhabitants.

The final half hour also guarantees extra tension, all leading up to an explosive ending that will leave the viewer with varied interpretations and some questions. If this is what Cinema must be like, Sparkes is on a good path.

On a remote island after a storm, the community hears the cries of a baby and finds her trapped under a boat wreck. The baby seems to have magical healing properties. It's ten years later. The baby is now young girl Isla. She has been adopted by mayor Bobby (Clayne Crawford) and his wife Grace (Lara Jean Chorostecki). Grace's frail mother Faye (Frances Fisher) has recovered with Isla's help. The fishing is back. The community adores Isla and her healing powers. Isla discovers more of her powers. The community becomes divided over using Isla.

I love the moody atmosphere. I am surprised that there isn't more religion in the movie's spiritual themes. In a way, I appreciate that it doesn't go full religious but it does go into the cult territories. The wasps do need to have a bigger scene. It is such an important incident. After a slow simmering middle, the tension really takes off with the arrival of the two mainlanders. This is a smallish movie and a simple idea. In its isolation, it shows something about the bigger human world.