Turtle Island

Turtle Island is an independent film from 2013 that’s billed as a found footage thriller, showing promise that it explores beyond the typical found footage movie. The movie centres on a group of three friends who decide to take an off-the-grid trip, looking for a relief from their modern, hectic lives and escape the bustle of New York city.

The premise at its core is fascinatingly simple: A documentary filmmaker, David (Rik Burns) decides to reconnect with nature and get away from it all by embarking on a survivalist adventure to an uncharted island off the eastern coast of America. Accompanied by his girlfriend Turtle (Elizabeth Alderfer) and buddy Chris (John Carlson), they plan to live off the land for an exhilarating yet challenging month. They carry along a high-definition camera to document their journey, which is supposed to stand as an unblemished testimony to their experience.

The characters each bring something unique to the table. David, the protagonist, is driven, ambitious and seems to have everything under control. Turtle, exhibiting a certain warmth and magnetism, appears as the grounded one, trying to be the voice of reason and balancing the dynamics of the group. Chris, on the other hand, brings levity to the situation and appears unsure about the survivalist tactics.

As the movie unfolds, we witness an intricate blend of survivalist thrillers, character drama and environmental undercurrents. Every frame is brilliantly caught, reflecting both the untamed beauty of the wilderness and the raw, unsettling atmosphere that the trio navigates. Weather becomes a significant character in the story as the isolation of the setting grows.

The location, hence the name Turtle Island, becomes an untamed network of dangers and challenges, serving as more than just a backdrop to this story, catalysing the psychological transformation that our protagonists undergo. Director David Wexler succeeds in giving this thriller a unique touch, maintaining complexity in storytelling, and delivering heart-racing sequences intertwined with introspective moments.

The chemistry between the characters adds another layer to the narrative, and their interpersonal relationships play out in compelling fashion, creating tension, cementing bonds, and revealing background stories. All three actors are exceptional, and their performances as realistic as the setting they find themselves in. Elizabeth Alderfer as Turtle shows a splendid range in her performance: she's fun, fearless, and aching when it's needed, and her character brings a refreshing take to the survivalist movie genre.

The use of 'found footage' style also adds to the film’s realism. Instead of reaching out to conventional movie-making techniques, the crew of Turtle Island explores the found footage genre, pushing beyond its limits. The format adds to the real-time aspect of the film, placing the audience directly into the amateurish yet intimate viewpoint of the protagonist. This serves both as an effective narrative device and a thought-provoking method of storytelling that pulls the viewer deeper into the unfolding plot.

But Turtle Island isn’t just about wilderness survival; it explores the underlying theme of human connection with nature. It emphasizes on the things humanity has forgotten or, perhaps, things we fear to remember. It subtly critiques our estranged relationship with the environment while posing important questions about our modern existence’s impact on the natural world.

Touched with moments of humor, suspense and drama, Turtle Island is a thrilling take on survival found footage films. Its focus on character development and an atmospheric narrative transcends the stereotypical horror elements of such genre, delving into the deep-seated fear of the wilderness within us. This indie gem, with its unique narrative and hauntingly beautiful cinema verite style, is a testament that there is still uncharted territory in found footage genre, waiting to be explored.

Turtle Island is ultimately a thoughtful piece of work that does well in balancing the tensions of the wilderness survival genre with thought-provoking examination of our relationship with nature. It will grip, surprise, and make you contemplate the essence of survival and humanity in the wild.