August 19, 2024
Being forced to attend his father’s work conference with his older brother is not Black 17-year-old Femi Fatona’s idea of a fun vacation, even if the event is located on the mysterious island resort of Darlenia, founded by genius inventor Richard Jenkins and kept ultra-secret under a mountain of NDAs. Worse, Femi doesn’t get along with either family member, both of whom have been pressuring him to pursue a career in academics rather than music. Darlenia nevertheless proves to be a magical place filled with immersive technology, amusement park attractions, and previously undiscovered flora and fauna. But the resort has a fraught history, and when Femi gets pulled into a scheme that results in the park’s unique wildlife attacking guests, his vacation quickly becomes a struggle to endure his fractured family and survive the island. Ruminations on the long-term effects and consequences of capitalism and colonization feel muddled by a climctic reveal, but inventive action sequences and intense thriller elements prompt excited double takes throughout this Jurassic Park–inspired horror adventure by Oyemakinde (The Changing Man). Ages 14–up.