Iguana

I get the impression that this movie is based on a book: Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa's novel "La Iguana", released on 1982. Here in Brazil it was released on 1989, with the title "O Iguana". Read this book when I was in school, at the suggestion of a teacher. A very good and interesting book.

When this film came out on video, it probably cause problem on the video store owner for which section of the store to put this film on. The film is action (sort of), horror (because of the video box cover), drama (unsimpathetic characters) and other stuff all rolled up in one in a overseas production directed by cult director Hellman. Bruce McGill stars as a misfit seaman with a messed up face who escape from a ship and wages war against mankind by keeping any castaway as his prisoners. Michael Madsen, Joseph Culp (robert's son) and even Italian leading man Fabio Testi is in this film! Maruska Dettmers was supposed to be in the film as she was listed in the trade papers, but backed out. Not recommended, but McGill's character lines are funny at times.

"Iguana" is really beautifully photographed, but as entertainment it is a miserable experience. The editing is extremely choppy, however the fatal problem is a total lack of believability. The deformed protagonist controls five or six people who washed up on his island kingdom. Obviously the self proclaimed king never sleeps, or his captives didn't want to wake him with a rock to the head? This screenplay is really so far fetched that I lost interest almost immediately. The dialog is stilted and tedious, and director Monte Hellman drops the ball at almost every opportunity. Michael Madsen is totally wasted, as is 98 minutes of your life. This is one to be avoided, and has no redeeming qualities. It's truly painful to watch such nonsense .......................... - MERK

No, it's not some movie about a giant lizard that eats people... though that's what the title makes me think of. This is a pretty decent low-budget movie about a toughened sailor with a facial deformity that makes him look kind of lizard-like. His shipmates don't like him much and he jumps ship one night... but they find him again, beat and brand him. After a lifetime of such abuse he decides that from now on he will live the rest of his life taking what he wants, doing what he wants and forcing others to do his will. He takes over a small deserted island and enslaves the few people who wash up on its shores... cutting off their fingers (or heads) when they get out of line. Very interesting movie... the main character is a terrible person... but at times he also becomes the hero. We see that he has become this evil man because of the way he was treated by others all his life. Lovely (but sad) ending.