Panic at Rock Island (2011)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The plot of this movie is that a highly infectious, particularly gruesome Ebola-like virus (originally designed as a biological weapon) breaks out at an island near Sydney during a rock festival attended by thousands of young people. Like "Outbreak" and other similar movies, we are shown the rapid spread of the virus and the increasingly desperate efforts of the authorities to take care of it.Cliché themes are included probably because, well, that's what you include in movies like this. The panic. The hysterical girlfriend. The stupidly misunderstanding public. (You'd think people would have seen enough movies like this to understand the danger.) The self-serving hypocrisy of the politicians. There is a good deal of maudlin music swelling during deaths and reunions.Let's not forget the disease control specialist whose own children are caught up in the outbreak. ("My children are on that island.") The determined mother who foolishly wants to do nothing except join her child. (Why do I always hate these women?) The heroic but stupid doctors who don't protect themselves. (At one point, he touches his face with his bloodied glove!) Occasionally, the movie lapses completely into unbelievability. Conspiracy theory buffs will enjoy this movie.There is an Australian spin to it all. Cheeky, rebellious teenagers, of course. This is apparently not a country with a slick CDC procedure, if this movie it to be believed. No, in Australia, when this kind of thing happens everyone starts yelling at each other and emoting, television-movie style. Everyone. And the politicians, military and police are all rank bastards. I suppose that's an Australian thing.Still, I didn't hate it. Once you accept what they're doing, it's easy enough to digest this Australian cheese. Outbreak movies are fun and easy to make, so why not. An added benefit is that you can always lay the blame on an evil corporation, the government or the military. These movies are aimed directly at our modern media-fed phobias about health and the environment.

The movie is great , fresh story , there was few more movies based on a viruses , but each movie is about zombies \ undead eating flash mutants . this one , is more realistic , you face a problem that can happen any time , you see how is the government react , its awesome , yes the movie is a low budget but its great , the story is fine , the effects are pretty good for the low budget , even the actors are fine , if anybody remember Cooter from True blood , the Werewolf leader? he's a great actor , anyways i am digging to much if you didn't seen this movie yet , you should . you won't regret , and you don't like movies but you like deadly viruses this movie is for you , if you hate both don't even try to watch!

This film is bloody brilliant.Simply, coinciding with a music festival at Rock Island,a couple stumble upon a body in a tunnel that leads to the island. The tunnel however begins at AVP a research facility that has been creating diseases etc. as weapons. The couple get onto the island and then all hell breaks loose as the infection breaks loose.The cast is terrific, and includes some of my favourite Aussie actors such as Grant Bowler, Damian Walshe-Howling and Vince Colosimo. All perform well.The writers surely had some fun with this, and I loved the not so subtle attacks on the NSW government, politics and politician in general, and on big business, and how they can both get away with anything yet are obviously the cause of or ignorant to the problems faced by the people.A thoroughly enjoyable film, and my only complaint is that its wasn't longer! This would have been terrific as a mini series!

Pathetic, obviously no research went into this especially how they conducted the autopsy, a grade 4 and they autopsies the way they did.Only 2 police officers on the island to control crowd with. Few security officers, pathetic. Gee how did the bloke get into the tunnel without infecting anyone else on the mainland. Crap ending, another pathetic oz movie. Lots of discrepancies. We took the mickey out of it all the way through. Low budget, C grade acting, the pits. Low budget, worthless entertainment. Come on win you can do better than this. The story line was nothing and predictable. These type of virus movies have been round for years