Abandoned: Angelique’s Isle (2018)

Julia Jones is Angelique, a young Ojibway woman who falls for and marries a fur trapper named Charlie Mott (Charlie Carrick).

Problem is, the fur-trapping trade is on the decline.

So Charlie and partners Rene Cadotte and Antonio Mott agree to sail to a remote island — Lake Superior’s Isle Royale — to help businessmen from Detroit scout for copper.

Indeed, Angelique finds an enormous slab of the precious metal. Against her wishes, Charlie shares the news with Cyrus Mendenhall (Aden Young), leader of the expedition.

The find is far too large to be hauled away in the ship that took them to the island. So Mendenhall offers Charlie a bonus is he’ll stay to guard the treasure until they can return to collect it.

He promises a ship will deliver provisions to them within two weeks. He promises he’ll return to take them home soon after.

He keeps neither promise, leaving Angelique and Charlie to fend for themselves through a harsh winter on an island where game is non-existant.

And once Charlie succumbs to starvation, Angelique must learn to fend for herself is she wants to survive.

Review:

Julia Jones turns in a fine performance in a well-done, beautifully-filmed survival tale.

And Tantoo Cardinal plays her grandmother, warning her against marrying Charlie, then warning her against the perilous journey she’s about to embark on.

They were honored with best actress and best supporting actress awards for those roles at the 2018 American Indian Film Festival, where the movie also took Best Film honors.

That said, nothing that transpires on screen is likely to strike the viewer as unexpected.

In fact, the plot is rather predictable as Angelique remembers the lessons taught by her grandmother — as opposed to the lessons drilled into her head in white man’s school — in her effort to survive.

Directed by:
Marie-Helene Cousineau
Michelle Derosier

Cast:
Julia Jones … Angelique
Stephen McHattie … Captain
Tantoo Cardinal … Thunderbird woman
Aden Young … Cyrus Mendenhall
Charlie Carrick … Charlie Mott
Brendt Thomas Diabo … Rene Cadotte
Greg Tremblay … Antoine Mott
Anthony Roch … Leonides Graham
Dennis Dubinsky … Minister

Runtime: 90 min.

Memorable lines:

Thunderbird woman: “I must caution you. Charlie has something missing inside.”
Angelique: “What are you saying?”
Thunderbird woman: “I love Charlie as a human being. But I’ve seen dreams. There will come a time when he’ll be a danger to you.”

Cyrus Mendenhall: “I don’t care what they call it, as long as it makes me rich.”

Cyrus Mendenhall: “We men are searching for treasure. Nothing on this boat happens without my blessing. You understand?”

Angelique: “I think the copper should stay there by the water.”
Cyrus Mendenhall: “That copper’s already being stamped into coin back in the world. Soon, these hills will be crawling with men trying to scratch out a living, just like you and me, Charlie. But call it fate, good fortune, what you will … count yourself lucky just to be a part of it.”

Greg Tremblay as Antoine Mott, one of Charlie’s partners in Abandoned Angelique’s Isle (2018)

Brendt Thomas Diabo as Rene Cadotte, one of Charlie’s partners in Abandoned Angelique’s Isle (2018)

Julia Jones as Angelique and Charlie Carrick as Charlie Mott, as desperation sets in in Abandoned Angelique’s Isle (2018)