No matter what the genre is, there’s something charming about a movie that takes place on an island. From the sandy beaches to the crashing waves, there’s something inviting about an island setting, especially if you live nowhere near the coast. The thing about island settings is that they’re very versatile. Islands can be the backdrop for a romantic meet-cute, a glamorous vacation, or even suspense and tragedy. Islands have been a go-to setting for several movies and TV shows over the years. From the hit show Lost to the massively popular Mamma Mia! and HBO’s new island-centric show, The White Lotus, the island setting is a hit.

If you’re looking to visit an island — through your TV screen, that is — check out these nine great movies that take place on an island.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 A Perfect Getaway (2009)

A Perfect Getaway is about a group of couples vacationing in Hawaii when murders suddenly start occurring on the island, forcing the couples to think someone in the group may be a killer. This thriller premiered in 2009 and received generally positive reviews. It’s a standard “whodunnit” mixed with slasher movie energy, and while it can be a little corny and predictable, it’s still a fun watch. It has scenes of true suspense, bits of humor and was filmed in gorgeous Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Fantasy Island (2020)

     Sony Pictures Releasing

Fantasy Island is about a group of people who visit the eponymous island and meet the mysterious Mr. Roarke (Michael Peña) who makes all the fantasies of the guests come true. However, things aren’t as good as they seem, because the guests’ fantasies turn into nightmares, and they have to solve the mystery of Fantasy Island to escape and survive. It’s a horror-movie re-imagining of the 1977 TV show of the same name. It was produced by Blumhouse and premiered in 2020. The concept of Fantasy Island is great and has the potential to be both scary and innovative. However, it’s ultimately full of clichés and doesn’t live up to its potential. That said, it’s still worth a watch, even if it’s just for the tropical resort views.

7 The Rock (1996)

     Buena Vista Pictures Distribution Releasing

This 1996 action/thriller is about an FBI chemical warfare expert (Nicolas Cage), a British spy (Sean Connery), and a group of Navy SEALs who set out on a mission to stop a general from launching chemical weapons on Alcatraz Island into San Francisco. While Alcatraz Island isn’t likely the first island that comes to mind when thinking of island-based movies, The Rock is still a worthy watch to make this list. It’s a perfect blend of action and suspense, making for one thrilling movie.

6 Old (2021)

     Universal Pictures

From the mind of M. Night Shyamalan comes Old, about a group of people who visit a tropical island on vacation, only to find that the island causes them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lifespan to a single day. It’s based on the sci-fi graphic novel, Sandcastle, by Frederik Peeters. This thriller premiered in 2021 and was a box office success but saw mixed reviews from critics. The concept of Old is brilliant and fresh. However, there are times when it feels like the ideas aren’t fully fleshed out. And while this may not be an island you want to add to your list of places to visit, it’s a very interesting watch.

5 Shutter Island (2010)

     Via Paramount

Directed by Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island is a psychological thriller about a U.S. Marshal (Leonardo DiCaprio) who investigates a psychiatric facility on Shutter Island with his partner (Mark Ruffalo) when one of the patients mysteriously goes missing. Shutter Island premiered in 2010 and received positive reviews and was noted as one of the top 10 films of 2010 by the National Board of Review. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island is full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end. From start to finish, it’s nothing but mystery and suspense. The plot is great by itself, but what really makes this movie are the impressive performances from the cast, most notably Mark Ruffalo.

4 50 First Dates

     Columbia Pictures

This 2004 rom-com is about Henry (Adam Sandler), a marine veterinarian in Hawaii who falls in love with Lucy (Drew Barrymore), a woman with short-term memory loss. Lucy can’t remember anything that happened the day before, so Henry has to make her fall in love with him again every day, hence the movie title. 50 First Dates follows the romcom recipe to a T, perfectly blending laughs with heartwarming romance. The movie also features a signature Sandler/Barrymore duo, which is always a successful pairing, as seen in other movies like The Wedding Singer. While 50 First Dates isn’t a groundbreaking movie, it’s sweet and fun and brings a smile to your face when you watch it.

3 Jaws (1975)

The original summer blockbuster. When Jaws premiered in 1975, the summer seemingly came to a halt as people were afraid of swimming in the ocean and becoming a shark’s next meal. Jaws takes place in a New England beach town, called Amity Island, and was shot mostly on location on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. Jaws is a masterclass in well-crafted storytelling that seamlessly mixes in genuine terror and thrills. The movie has been immortalized — and for good reason, too — as not only one of Spielberg’s best works, but also as one of the greatest thrillers ever made.

2 Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia! premiered in 2008, and this jukebox movie musical is based on the songs from global pop group ABBA. Taking place on the Greek islands, it’s about a young bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) who invites three men from her mother’s (Meryl Streep) past to her wedding, in the hopes that one of them will be her real father and get to walk her down the aisle. If you don’t like musicals, it’s likely you won’t love Mamma Mia!, however, it’s hard to deny the movie’s impact, as it’s still wildly popular today and has seen both sequels and stage performances. With an ensemble cast, great soundtrack, rom-com energy and gorgeous island backdrop, Mamma Mia! is undeniably fun.

1 Cast Away

     20th Century Fox

Cast Away is a survival drama about a FedEx troubleshooter (Tom Hanks) who gets stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes in the South Pacific. Premiering in 2000, the movie is all about Hanks’ fight for survival and desperate attempts to return home. The “stranded on an island, fighting to survive” trope in movies has been recreated several times, even in TV shows like the hit Lost, but Cast Away does it in a way that feels real and raw. Part of what makes the movie so great, is Hanks performance, for which he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor. You can feel his desperation through the screen, and he takes the audience with him every step of the way as he starts to lose his mind, putting on a very believable one-man-show.