Skeppsbrutne Max: A strange trip to the island

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for vintage Swedish cinema and don't mind a story that moves at the speed of a drifting log, maybe. It’s not exactly The Rainbow Man in terms of pacing, but there’s a certain charm to the whole mess. If you get bored when people just stand around talking about their problems while wearing fancy clothes on a beach, skip it.

The premise is simple enough. Max Mattsson and his group get tossed onto an island, and suddenly, the social hierarchy starts to crumble. It’s funny how they manage to stay so pristine while living in the sand. I half expected someone to pull out a tea set in the middle of a storm.

Odd little things

• The dog is honestly the best actor on screen. Every time the humans start getting loud, the dog just looks away like he’s embarrassed for them.
• The archipelago scenery is great, even if the film quality makes the water look like grey static sometimes.
• There’s a moment where they’re trying to build a shelter and someone is wearing shoes that look like they’ve never touched dirt in their life.

There isn't a lot of "survival" here, really. It’s mostly just people acting like they're at a dinner party that went wrong. It lacks the grit of something like Born to Battle. It's more of a talkie than an adventure, which was a bit of a letdown.

The dialogue feels like it was written for a stage play rather than a beach. People say things like "We must find a way to endure!" while just leaning against a rock. It feels a bit silly. But I couldn't stop watching. There’s a weird magnetism to how awkward the social dynamics are.

Some of the actors seem to be trying way too hard to look worried. Their eyebrows are doing more work than the script. It reminds me of the over-the-top reactions in A Small Town Idol, just without the slapstick to back it up.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Expect a weird, dusty relic that is mostly just people being grumpy in nature. It's not perfect, but it's got a soul. 🐕