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The Islands

Name: The Islands
Director: Timothy A. Chey
Released: 2019
Duration: 124 min

Representation Score

2.6/10

Limited

2019

PG-13

Director

Timothy A. Chey

Runtime

124 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Islands is a biographical drama centered on the spiritual journey of Chiefess Kapiolani. While it successfully provides ethnic representation by highlighting a Hawaiian historical figure, the narrative is confined to a faith-based perspective. The film primarily aims to reinforce religious conviction. Its focus on spiritual transformation restricts its scope to a faith-centered storyline, limiting its exploration of broader societal or cultural issues. Overall, the film operates as a traditional moral narrative. It leverages an indigenous context to tell a story of religious conversion, avoiding deeper explorations of systemic or cultural complexities.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Islands have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film centers on a single biographical arc focused on faith. It does not include narratives that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender or explore non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth gender identities.

How does The Islands portray gender?

Fair

Chiefess Kapiolani is portrayed as a strong female character, but her influence is tied to religious devotion rather than challenging traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Islands?

Good

The story highlights meaningful representation of Hawaiian indigenous culture. By focusing on a non-Western historical figure, it breaks away from the typical Anglo-centric focus in biographical dramas.

How does The Islands represent religion and culture?

Limited

The film emphasizes spiritual certainty and religious ideals. It portrays traditional religious institutions positively, framing them as sources of positive change rather than oppressive systems.

Does The Islands include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the film.

Present on Screen

The film provides significant racial and ethnic representation by centering a Hawaiian historical figure.
It disrupts Anglo-centric biographical traditions by focusing on non-Western history.

Limited or Absent

The narrative does not engage with diverse gender identities or LGBTQ+ themes.
The focus on religious conversion limits the exploration of broader cultural or social hierarchies.
There is no visible representation of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Based on the incredible true-life story of Chiefess Kapiolani who descended into an active volcano to demonstrate her new-found faith and ushered in a new beginning in Hawaii.

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