Michel Bussi offers this evening, from 9:10 p.m. on France 2, his very first original series. Here, a small island is invaded by threatening militants and the inhabitants of the town will do everything to counter them. A success ?
What is it about ?
“An island without history until the day when twenty armed activists disembark and confine all the inhabitants to the village school. Alpha, their leader, has planned everything, except that the shuttle that connects Penhic to the mainland escapes them and allows five of its passengers to hide on the island. Who are these activists? Why are they holding the inhabitants of Penhic prisoners? Who among them will become heroes, cowards or traitors? Who is the stranger on the shuttle who returns after ten years of absence?“
Prisoner Island is broadcast from this Monday, February 13 from 9:10 p.m. on France 2, at the rate of two episodes per week.
Who is it with?
The writer Michel Bussi offers here his first original series. He co-wrote the six parts of this story with Christian Clères. At the realization, we find Elsa Bennett and Hippolyte Dard.
In the casting, viewers discover in the main roles Pierre Perrier (Fear on the lake), Lannick Gautry (Aim for the heart), Déborah François (Save Lisa), Antoine Duléry (The (almost) perfect love) or even Margot Bancilhon ( the invite).
But that’s not all because they also give the reply to Kévin Azaïs (Laëtitia), Anouk Grinberg (The innocent), Marie Denarnaud (HPI) and beginners Jane Cara and Diego Murgia.
It’s worth checking out ?
From the first minutes of Prisoner Island, tension sets in on the screen when Candice (Margot Bancilhon) is threatened by the mysterious commando that invades Penhic. At the same time, Alex (Pierre Perrier) returns home after ten years of absence and has left only enemies behind.
Taking the shuttle leaving from the mainland to reach the village on the water, he finds a few very hostile people on board on his return. Alas, their trip is interrupted by gunshots: the disturbing members of the group that takes possession of all Penhic do not want them to disembark!
Managing to escape them, Alex and his companions hide on the island, fearing at any moment to be caught and perhaps die… Who are these individuals? What do they want with this peaceful little community?
Here, the fiction features a string of characters who, for one reason or another, are determined to save their comrades from the clutches of this organized gang, in fact made up of very dangerous activists tumbling down to defend an ecological cause.
Alex, unloved by everyone since a falling out with a tragic outcome, will nevertheless do everything to rescue his former companions and in particular Candice, his ex whom he has not seen for a decade. Today, the latter is also in a relationship with the former best friend of Alex (played by Kévin Azaïs)… We then witness the (re)birth of their love triangle.
In Prisoner Island, the twists and turns are numerous and the action omnipresent… But there are unfortunately some lengths. Information about Alex’s past or the revelation of the true intentions of the enemies in the story are slow to be communicated to viewers. We therefore do not understand everything when it would sometimes be wise to progress and we experience a feeling of uncertainty.
However, the plot is served by a solid cast. Lannick Gautry, who brilliantly interprets the leader of “the bad guys”, surprises in his role as antagonist. Déborah François and Marie Denarnaud are very convincing in their score, combining strength and emotion. Pierre Perrier, Margot Bancilhon and Kévin Azaïs are also doing well, as are young actors Jane Cara and Diego Murgia.
In this thriller-like series, the suspense is there, as well as a few surprises… An accomplice is hiding, for example, in the village! Finally, shot in Finistère and Morbihan, the fiction offers sublime landscapes on screen. The invented island of Penhic seems larger than life and an idyllic hamlet.
L’Île prisonnière will undoubtedly captivate the public of France 2 thanks to its breathtaking story, its excellent cast and its careful production. Michel Bussi therefore signs a first original series rather successful as a whole and much more interesting than the television adaptations of his novels Un avion sans elle, Maman a tort and Le Temps est assassin.
