THE ISLAND BETWEEN TIDES (2024) Cinequest 2024

Alfred Hitchcock had been trying to make a film version of JM Barries Mary Rose for decades. Announced as his next project numerous times, no studio wanted to fund the project.  Now at long last comes THE ISLAND BETWEEN THE TIDES and the story finally makes it to the big screen.

The story is that of a young woman who disappears twice, once as a child she disappears for several days and returns again unaware that the time spent on a small island was anytime at all. Fifteen years later she disappears again, however decades have passed in the world, while none has passed for her.

Beautifully made and hauntingly shot film is either going to grab you not. This is a film where things progress at their own pace and moods are created. There is an intriguing mystery going on for a good portion of the film. The question that everyone is going to have to answer for themselves is, does the film  pull it all together in the end.  Without going into details, whether you like the film or not is going to be the make or break point for everyone who sees it.

Not being familiar with the source material except by after the fact, I completely understand why studios balked at letting Hitchcock make a film of the material. This is not to say their is anything wrong with it, more that this dream like or ethereal musings and if you don't click with it you'll not care for it. This is the sort of thing that Neil Gaiman is very good at doing but few others are these days. I'm not certain the filmmakers nail the ending. I was left going "yes, and...?" instead of "oh WOW".

As much as I balk at the film it is gorgeous and has some real mood  so if you like cinematic lyric poems this is worth a shot.