Dolphin Island * Relatable & Relatable Storyline Enhanced By A Charming Dolphin
After losing her parents, fourteen-year-old Annabel Coleridge lives with her fisherman grandfather on a Caribbean island paradise surrounded by an extended family of loving but quirky oddballs and her best friend, a dolphin named Mitzy. Everything changes when her rich maternal grandparents arrive with a shifty lawyer to bring her back to New York. It’s up to her grandfather, her friends, Desaray, her new social worker, her charming son, Mateo, and Mitzy to find a way for Anna to stay on the island home she loves so much.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Ethan P. comments, “The storyline is very interesting and relatable. My favorite part is when the grandfather thinks he has lost Annabel, but really she’s out swimming with Mitzie.” Ayden P. adds, “I enjoyed the relationship between the characters and the humanity added with the dolphin is a unique touch. It is interesting to watch Jonah and Annabelle interact with the dolphin. I really love seeing the dolphin perform human tasks and seemingly communicating with Annabelle.” Avalon N. contributes, “Wow, there is a lot to talk about in this film. First of all, there is quite a lot of drama with lots of very emotional scenes and excellent performances from the actors. Second, there is a dolphin in the film named Mitzy. Mitzy does lots of tricks and is a real dolphin. Her training is amazing; she impressed me so much with how she performs in this film.” And Alma K. wraps it up with, “There are really so many things I like about the movie, it’s hard to stop. This film is all about love, family and friendship. It’s a feel-good movie in many ways.”
Dolphin Island
Ethan P., KIDS FIRST!, Film Critic, Age 12
Dolphin Island is a very funny and a heartwarming movie. This family friendly film has a cute and well trained dolphin that makes it very amusing to watch.
Dolphin Island follows a young girl, Annabel (Tyler Jade), whose parents are deceased and who lives with her grandfather (Peter Woodward) on a boat. Annabel’s best friend is a dolphin named Mitzie who is trained to pick up trash from the sea. One day a social worker comes to inspect Annabel’s living situation and later her other grandparents (Annette Duncan and David Raisor) arrive, wanting to take custody of her. Things fall apart and we discover that love wins in the end.
I Dolphin Island 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 6 to 18 plus adults. Dolphin Island will be available on March 2, 2021 on many VOD platforms.
Dolphin Island
By Ayden P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Dolphin Island is an interesting movie because of the dynamic between the two characters, Jonah (Peter Woodward) and Annabelle (Tyer Jade Nixon). I enjoy the relationship between the characters and the humanity added to the dolphin is a unique touch. It is interesting to watch Jonah and Annabelle interact with the dolphin. I really love seeing the dolphin perform human tasks and seemingly communicating with Annabelle. This shows how the director, Mike Disa, humanizes the dolphin. Dolphin Island makes me believe the characters enjoy spending time with each other and they truly love one another. The only problem I have with the movie is the title. Calling it Dolphin Island makes me think there’s a bunch of dolphins in the movie and they are the focus of the movie. However, the movie is good enough for me to quickly get over that disappointment.
The story is about a 14-year-old girl, Annabelle, whose parents die and who lives in the Bahamas with Jonah, her grandfather. Her best friend is a dolphin named Mitzy. Life is good until Annabelle’s maternal grandparents (David Raizor and Annette Lovrien Duncan) show up with a lawyer and demand that Annabelle come to New York to live with them.
At times Dolphin Island can be sad and emotional, especially when it comes to Annabelle and her great loss. The actors portray the emotion you would expect from a family that loses a loved one. Annabelle’s character says and does some things that I see myself doing in the same situation, such as treating Mitzy like a person. When Mitzy sprays Jonah, Annabelle says it is because Mitzy is a good judge of humor. Also, Peter Woodward (as Jonah) really seems to have a good relationship with Annabelle. For example, when Jonah says he wants to show Annabelle what it is like to be happy, I really believe his character wants this. Dolphin Island shows us the relationship between some of the people on the island with Annabelle, Mitzy and Jonah. Seeing those relationships makes us see why Annabelle is so happy on the island and how this helps her cope with her parents’ death. The story offers a brilliant take on what makes a family a true family – sometimes family is by blood, sometimes by friendships, and sometimes with animals. Dolphin Island presents some unpredictable plot twists you don’t expect along with strong character development.
The message of this movie is that family will always be there for you and that love conquers all, even when things are at their worst. Along with that strong message, just like the title suggests, Dolphin Island teaches viewers a little about dolphins and how lovable and smart they really are.
I give Dolphin Island 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18. Grownups will enjoy it as well. It is releasing March 2, 2021 on most digital platforms. Look for it.
Dolphin Island
Avalon N., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12
Dolphin Island is a very emotional and different movie. It has some scenes where you can just feel the emotions of the characters coming through the screen.
The story followsa girl named Annabel (Tyler Jade Nixon) who lives with her paternal grandfather Jonah (Peter Woodward). Her best friend is a dolphin named Mitzy. Then, her maternal grandfather (David Raizor) and grandmother (Annette Lovrien Duncan) come to take her back to New York with the help of a shifty lawyer (Bob Bledsoe). Now it is up to Annabel and her island friends and family and Mitzy to find a way to keep her on the island.
Wow, there is a lot to talk about in this film. First of all, there is quite a lot of drama with lots of very emotional scenes and excellent performances from the actors. Second, there is a dolphin in the film named Mitzy. Mitzy does lots of tricks and is a real dolphin. Her training is amazing; she impressed me so much with how she performs in this film. Also, the cast has lots of diversity. I like that, especially since the events of the last year that made us aware of the lack of diversity in movies. Lastly, the sets are remarkable. There are many locations around the island where this takes place, all of which take place on a Caribbean island.
Wow, there is a lot to talk about in this film. First of all, there is quite a lot of drama with lots of very emotional scenes and excellent performances from the actors. There is a scene where Jonah gets very angry at the lawyer, which seems very realistic. Second, there is a dolphin in the film named Mitzy. Mitzy does lots of tricks and is a real dolphin. Her training is amazing; she impressed me so much with how she performs in this film. There is a scene where she does a backflip in front of the humans, which is definitely the best trick. Also, the cast has lots of diversity. I like that, especially since the events of the last year that made us aware of the lack of diversity in movies. Lastly, the sets are remarkable. There are many locations around the island where this takes place, all of which take place on a Caribbean island. There is a street in some of the scenes that is very sea blue and tan like the sea and sand which is I imagine a Caribbean island looks like.
The message of Dolphin Island is that love conquerors all; love is a bond that can’t be broken and loved ones will always seek to find each other. I give Dolphin Island 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 10 to18. Dolphin Island will be available March 2, 2021.
Dolphin Island
By Alma K., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 11
I really enjoyed wathing Dolphin Island and I really, really liked it. The beautiful setting already has me dying to go to the Bahamas and adopt a dolphin! The storyline has great tension, indecision and doubt surrounding the characters. The touches of local music throughout the movie is the cherry on top.
Annabel (Tyler Jade Nixon)’s parents died when she was five. Since then her grandfather, Jonah Coleridge (Peter Woodward) took care of her on Dolphin island. It’s a paradise full of dolphins and friendly, loving, quirky people — even her best friend is a dolphin! Things stir up in this magical setting when Annabel’s grandparents (Annette Lovrien Duncan & David Raizor) come to the island with a suspicious lawyer (Bob Bledsoe) — often mistaken for a pirate — with the purpose of bringing Annabel to live with them in New York.
This movie has good acting. The actors that stand out the most are Peter Woodward and Annette Lovrien Duncan. They play the grandfather and grandmother really well. I can completely see them as if they actually were their characters. Not a single line they say wavers. I really like the colors in this movie also. They’re bright and cheerful — from the clothing to the sets to the setting. The music is awesome. Even at the beginning of the movie — before anything really happens — the music lures me in and I just have to think — wow.
There’s good tension surrounding the conflict, which is very well thought out. There’s indecision, doubt — everything. There’s the “typical villain,” who later on regrets his choices. It’s really nice to see such inspiring, aspiring, brave people throughout the movie. Something that really stood out for me is this line Annabel says, after her grandfather tells her not to stay out too late. Annabel replies with, “See you later! I mean, see you early!” That was a very nice touch. I like how everyone on Dolphin Island seems to know and like and care for Annabel. It really brings to life the saying: it takes a village. And, of course, there’s Mitzy. The dolphin scenes are really fun to watch. They’re exciting and cute and I guarantee that anyone who watches this movie will fall in love with Mitzy. There are really so many things I like about the movie, it’s hard to stop.
This film is all about love, family and friendship. It’s a feel-good movie in many ways. I rate Dolphin Island 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for all ages, 2 to18, plus adults. Dolphin Island will be released in select theaters and on digital on March 2, 2021, so look for it.
