# Magic Island (film)

Magic Island is a 1995 American fantasy Adventure comedy direct-to-video film produced by Moonbeam Entertainment and released by Paramount Home Video. It was directed by Sam Irvin and starred Zachery Ty Bryan, Andrew Divoff, Edward Kerr, Lee Armstrong, French Stewart, Jessie-Ann Friend, Oscar Dillon, Abraham Benrubi, Sean O'Kane, Schae Harrison, and Ja'net Dubois.

## Plot

13-year-old Jack Carlisle is a boy grappling with feelings of abandonment and disillusionment. Living in a modest home in an unnamed American city, Jack feels increasingly neglected by his single mother, who works long hours to support them ever since his father left the family years ago. The emotional distance between Jack and his mother grows, leaving him convinced that no one would care if he disappeared. One day, overwhelmed by his loneliness, Jack packs a small bag with essentials—some clothes, a few snacks, and a toy compass he’s had since he was little—and decides to run away, hoping to find a place where he truly belongs.
Just as Jack is about to sneak out the door, his kind-hearted nanny, Lucretia, notices his distress. Sensing his need for an escape, she hands him an old, leather-bound book titled The Adventures of Magic Island, which she claims is magical and has been in her family for generations. Though skeptical, Jack agrees to read it to humor her, settling into his room with the book. As he begins to read about a fantastical island filled with pirates and enchanted creatures, the room around him starts to shimmer. Before he can process what’s happening, Jack is sucked into the pages of the book, tumbling through a swirling vortex of light and color, and landing with a thud on the sandy shores of Magic Island.
Magic Island is a vibrant, otherworldly place where the ordinary rules of reality don’t apply. Jack quickly realizes he’s no longer in his world as he takes in the surreal surroundings: trees that shimmer with golden leaves, a sky that shifts between shades of purple and blue, and the distant sound of pirate shanties carried on the wind. He’s soon discovered by Prince Morgan, a dashing and courageous young rebel prince who leads a ragtag crew of adventurers. Morgan, with his flowing blond hair and unwavering determination, is on a quest to find a legendary treasure hidden in a cursed temple, a treasure said to hold the power to free his people from the tyranny of the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Morgan’s crew includes Gwyn, a fierce female buccaneer with a sharp wit; Dumas, a loyal and muscular sailor; and a few other quirky characters who welcome Jack despite his confusion.
Jack, still clutching his bag, joins Morgan’s crew, but their journey is far from smooth. They’re relentlessly pursued by Blackbeard, a menacing pirate captain with a grizzled beard and a cruel streak, who wants the treasure for himself. Blackbeard’s crew includes bumbling pirates like Duckbone and Jolly Bob, who provide comic relief but are still dangerous in their loyalty to their ruthless leader. As Jack and the crew trek across the island, they encounter a series of magical challenges. They narrowly escape a pack of sand sharks—creatures that swim through the dunes like water, snapping at their heels. They stumble upon a pizza tree, a bizarre plant that grows the favorite food of whoever climbs it, tempting Jack with visions of pepperoni slices but nearly trapping him in its branches as a defense mechanism. At one point, they navigate a swamp where glowing fireflies lead them astray, forcing Jack to use his toy compass to find their way out.
The group’s journey takes a perilous turn when they reach a cursed temple, a crumbling stone structure guarded by a towering talking statue named Mad Face, whose riddles they must solve to enter. Inside, the temple is a labyrinth of traps—spiked pits, swinging blades, and collapsing floors—designed to protect the treasure. As they delve deeper, Jack and the crew are ambushed by Blackbeard’s pirates, leading to a chaotic skirmish. During the chaos, Jack is separated from the group and falls into a lagoon, where he nearly drowns. He’s rescued just in time by Lily, a beautiful mermaid with shimmering teal scales and long, flowing hair. Lily, who has the magical ability to transform into a human after saving someone from drowning, pulls Jack to safety and decides to join him on his quest. As they travel together, Jack and Lily form a deep bond, with Jack developing tender feelings for her, captivated by her kindness and her ability to communicate with nature—like summoning trails of glowing leaves to guide their path.
With Lily’s help, Jack reunites with Morgan’s crew, and they finally reach the heart of the temple, where the treasure—a chest overflowing with gold and jewels—awaits. But their victory is short-lived as Blackbeard and his pirates storm in, demanding the treasure. A fierce battle ensues, during which Jack uses items from his “magic” bag, which he brought from the real world, to outsmart the pirates. He distracts them with snacks, uses his toy compass to trigger a trap, and even employs a slingshot to knock out one of Blackbeard’s men. The climax comes when the temple’s guardian, a wizard-like entity, intervenes. Enraged by Blackbeard’s greed, the guardian casts a spell, transforming Blackbeard into a gold statue, frozen mid-snarl as a warning to others. The remaining pirates flee in terror, leaving Morgan and his crew victorious.
With the treasure secured, Jack shares a bittersweet goodbye with Lily, who must return to the sea as her legs revert to a tail after her time on land expires. She gives him a seashell necklace as a keepsake, promising they’ll meet again in his dreams. Jack also lets Morgan keep a rug embroidered with gold and jewelry from the treasure, a symbol of their friendship. Morgan, grateful for Jack’s bravery, gives him a flag from his ship as a memento. As Jack clutches the flag, the world around him begins to fade, and he’s pulled back through the vortex, waking up in his bed at home.
Jack opens his eyes to find his mother sitting beside him, her face filled with concern and love. She explains she came home early after realizing how distant she’d been, and they share a heartfelt moment of reconciliation. As Jack sits up, he notices his jeans are still torn and frayed from his adventures, and the flag from Morgan’s ship has transformed into his bag, now adorned with a faint embroidery of a ship’s emblem—subtle signs that his journey to Magic Island might have been real. The film ends with Jack smiling, clutching the seashell necklace, his faith in family and the magic of imagination restored.

## Cast

* Zachery Ty Bryan as Jack Carlisle, a 13-year-old boy who is convinced if he runs away, no one will miss him. He gets sucked into the book and joins Prince Morgan, Gwyn, and Dumas on their adventure to find the Treasure before the villainous Captain Blackbeard and his band of pirates.
* Andrew Divoff as Blackbeard, the wicked pirate who is determined to get the treasure first at all costs.
* Edward Kerr as Prince Morgan, the leader of the good guys.
* Lee Armstrong as Gwyn, the only female member of the good group. She is the tough fighter.
* French Stewart as Mr. Sapperstein
* Jessie-Ann Friend as Lily, who is so named by the fish, for "Lily" means "Mermaid" in "fish-talk." She saves Jack's life when he almost drowns. By saving his life, she is allowed a wish and uses it to gain legs and join Mad Jack on his adventures.
* Oscar Dillon as Dumas, the religious member of the good group.
* Abraham Benrubi as Duckbone
* Sean O'Kane as Jolly Bob
* Schae Harrison as Mrs. Carlisle, Jack's mother.
* Ja'net Dubois as Lucretia, the Carlisle's housekeeper who gives Jack her "Magic Island" book.
* Terry Sweeney as Funny Face (voice)
* Martine Beswick as Lady Face (voice)
* Isaac Hayes as Mad Face (voice)
* Sam Irvin as Carbassas, the guardian of the Treasure.