Treasure Island is a timeless adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It has had many iterations throughout the years in television and film. A personal favorite of mine is Muppet Treasure Island (1996), which has a stirring performance from Tim Curry as Long John Silver. Nevertheless, the book has captivated readers for generations with its tale of pirates, treasure hunts, and swashbuckling escapades. And this brings us to another wonderful adaptation. In this post, we are going to take a look at the Treasure Island 2012 mini-series release. In it, Eddie Izzard, Toby Regbo, Donald Sutherland, and Elijah Wood give excellent performances.
Synopsis Blurbs
From IMDB: “In 1765, young English boy Jim Hawkins gets involved with buccaneers during his quest to find pirate Captain Flint’s treasure buried on a secret island.”
From Rotten Tomatoes: “This adaptation of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson story takes a fresh approach to telling the story of Jim Hawkins, who is unexpectedly drawn into the world of piracy after discovering Capt. Flint’s treasure map. But Hawkins isn’t the only one going after the gold. Long John Silver wants it all for himself. After setting sail for Treasure Island, Hawkins embarks on an adventure sure to change his life forever. But Long John Silver is ready to lead a mutiny to take over the ship. Only one of them can keep control of the ship and ultimately get the treasure.”
Reviews
On IMDB, reviews rate the movie between fair and good with a wide smattering of reviews. There is no general consensus. Eight- and nine-star reviews state that it’s not “great or outstanding” but people still “highly recommend for those of historic adventures…” Additionally, one-star reviews highlight it as “Another Ruined Classic,” and “The worst adaptation so far.”
Conclusion
The Treasure Island 2012 mini-series is an excellent adaptation. The performances are really good, and Eddie Izzard does a phenomenal job as Long John Silver. It also feels like a dark interpretation, and does not spend its time with romanticizing the life of a pirate. I like that. Pirates should be violent and gritty creatures of the sea.
Additionally, Elijah Wood pops up in a sort of cameo role, and it’s a nice bit of elevation in the film’s second half, because he gives a delightful performance. Of course, there are differences, such as characterization and overall plotting, but the movie tries to be faithful to the timeframe and the story itself, getting down all the beats and treating Steven’s classic with reverence.
