She-devil Island: A Curious Watch, But Maybe Not a Must-See

Alright, let’s talk about She-devil Island. Is it worth tracking down in 2024? Probably not for everyone, no. But if you’re into older, slightly campy adventure films, especially those with a wonderfully *of its time* take on gender dynamics, then yeah, there’s a strange little charm here. If you expect anything resembling modern pacing or nuanced storytelling, you’ll probably be pulling your hair out. It's a curiosity, mostly. 🤔

The premise is classic pulp: a lone sailor, our man Pedro Armendáriz, gets stranded. His ship goes down, and he somehow washes up on this island. Not just any island, mind you, but one populated solely by women. And they are *not* happy to see him, initially anyway.

The whole 'she-devil' bit in the title is more about their fierce independence and suspicion of men than actual demonic powers, which honestly, is a bit of a letdown. I was kinda hoping for some magic or something. But no, just a group of women who’ve learned to survive without men, and our sailor buddy is an unexpected wrench in their system. 🛶

There are these long stretches where Pedro just kinda… observes. He watches the women doing their thing, hunting, fishing, going about their lives. It's peaceful in a way, but also feels a bit like a nature documentary where the camera accidentally zoomed in on one guy too often. One scene, he’s just sitting by a tree, watching them gather fruit for what feels like five minutes. You can practically hear the director yelling, “Just look thoughtful, Pedro!”

Lucy Delgado plays the leader, or at least a prominent figure among the women. She’s got this really commanding presence, even when the script doesn't give her a ton to work with. Her expressions alone do half the heavy lifting. There's a particular moment when she first sees him, and her face just says, 'Oh, for crying out loud. A man.' It’s kinda great. 😂

The conflict, when it finally picks up, mostly revolves around whether they should kill him, keep him, or just ignore him until he starves. Very practical, these women. Emilio Fernández is in this too, though honestly, I kept forgetting he was there until he popped up for a quick scene. His character felt a little underused, like they had bigger plans for him that never quite landed.

Some of the fight choreography, when it happens, is pretty clunky. You can tell they’re not *actually* trying to hurt each other, which is fine, but it takes away from the stakes. The women attack with spears and nets, and it looks more like a very aggressive game of tag than a life-or-death struggle. At one point, a woman swings a blunt object and misses by a foot, and the sailor still dramatically recoils. *Classic.*

What really sticks with me is the island itself. The cinematography, for an older film, makes the place feel genuinely wild and untamed. Lots of lush greens and rocky shores. You can almost feel the humidity. They really lean into that jungle vibe. It looks like a proper adventure setting, even if the adventures themselves are a bit low-key.

There's this whole subplot about a hidden idol or something, which felt a little tacked on. Like they remembered they needed a 'treasure' for a pulp story. It gives Pedro’s character a reason to do more than just observe, but it doesn't really connect with the main 'women-only island' theme as much as it could have. It’s just… there.

The ending is a bit abrupt. It doesn’t feel like a grand resolution, more like the movie just kinda runs out of steam and decides to wrap things up. No big speeches, no huge emotional payoff. Just a quiet fade to black. It leaves you pondering, but mostly about whether you fully understood what just happened. Or maybe that’s just me. 🤔

Overall, She-devil Island is a peculiar watch. It’s got a neat premise, some strong silent acting from Lucy Delgado, and a nice sense of place. But it’s slow, a bit disjointed, and very much a product of its time. If you’re a film historian or someone who enjoys digging into the weird corners of cinema, give it a shot. Otherwise, maybe just watch a clip or two to satisfy your curiosity. It’s not a lost masterpiece, but it’s certainly… *something*.

• That one scene where the women are all lined up, looking sternly at the sailor. You just know they're judging his whole existence.
• The sound design is pretty minimal, which makes the rustling leaves and distant bird calls really stand out.
• Pedro Armendáriz wears the same torn shirt for like, the entire movie. Respect for continuity there.
• The 'she-devil' aspect is far less dramatic than the title implies. More like 'she-stern-but-ultimately-reasonable-women-island'.
• Did you notice how one of the women kept trying to trip him with a vine? Subtle, but I saw it!