Return to the Blue Lagoon ** (1991, Brian Krause, Milla Jovovich, Lisa Pelikan) – Classic Movie Review 8931

‘In a secluded paradise… surrounded by a coral sea, a boy and a girl grew up alone. Now they are experiencing the first awakenings of love. A love that can only be threatened… by discovery.’ ‘The story of natural love continues.’

A decade after The Blue Lagoon (1980), history repeats itself as two new shipwrecked infants grow up on a South Pacific desert island, and confront the same dilemmas about Nature and Feelings, as they become bronzed teenagers in love.

Director William A Graham’s colourful escapist 1991 adventure, drama, romance sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon starts well with Lisa Pelikan as Sarah Hargrave, the Mother who steers them to safety.

However, before the half way point the infants and then young kids turn into attractive but unappealing teenagers Lilli Hargrave and Richard Lestrange, played by teenage fashion model Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause without over much charisma or acting experience.

Cinematographer Robert Steadman makes the movie look a treat in Technicolor, though, with pretty Fiji scenery, shot in June 1990 on Taveuni Island, Fiji, matching the prettiness of its lead actors. (Incidentally, it was reported in 2018 that Fiji’s 47 per cent tax rebate is among the highest in the world.)

Also in the cast are Garette Ratliff Henson [Garette Patrick Ratliff] as Young Richard, Courtney Barilla [Courtney Phillips] as Young Lilli, Nana Coburn as Sylvia Hilliard, Brian Blain as Captain Jacob Hilliard, Peter Hehir as Quinlan, Emma James as Infant Lilli and Jackson Barton as Infant Richard.

Executive producer Randall Klesier directed The Blue Lagoon (1980), which is a remake of the 1949 The Blue Lagoon.

Return to the Blue Lagoon is directed by William A Graham, runs 102 minutes, is made by Columbia Pictures and Price Entertainment, is released by Columbia Pictures (1991) (US) and Columbia TriStar Film Distributors (1991) (UK), is written by Leslie Stevens, based on the book by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, is shot in Technicolor by Robert Steadman, is produced by Randall Klesier (executive producer) and William A Graham, and is scored by Basil Poledouris, with Production Design by Jon Dowding.

The cert is PG-13 in the US and 15 in the UK for some sex and nudity.

It was a box office bomb. Costing $11,000,000, it grossed $2,807,854 in the US.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8931

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