Paradise hides a presence that was never meant to be disturbed.
Uninhabited (2010) is a slow-burning Australian horror that follows a young couple, Beth and Harry, who escape to a secluded coral island for a romantic holiday — only to discover they’re not alone. What begins as a dreamy retreat into untouched nature turns into a creeping nightmare as strange occurrences suggest someone, or something, is watching them.
The island, silent and pristine, quickly becomes unsettling. Their supplies are tampered with. Footsteps appear in the sand. Shadows move through the trees. And a local fisherman warns them of the island’s curse — the ghost of a young woman named Coral who was brutally assaulted and left to die there years ago.
As Beth and Harry try to dismiss the legends, the evidence becomes impossible to ignore. The haunting intensifies, and Coral’s spirit becomes more violent. What started as whispers and eerie symbols turns into full-fledged attacks. The couple’s relationship begins to fracture under fear and disbelief.
The film plays with themes of environmental violation and female vengeance, using the island as both a setting and a metaphor — beautiful but unforgiving, a place where forgotten crimes rise from the sand. Coral’s ghost is not a villain in the traditional sense; she’s a tragic figure seeking justice in a world that failed her.
The pacing is deliberately restrained, focusing on mood over gore. Long silences, natural soundscapes, and minimal dialogue create an atmosphere of isolation and unease. While some viewers may find the simplicity too slow, others will appreciate the film’s focus on psychological tension and emotional build-up.
Shot with natural light and handheld cameras, Uninhabited has a raw, documentary-like quality that enhances its realism. The island feels alive, and the absence of CGI gives the ghostly presence a grounded, creeping dread.
By the time the truth surfaces — and the couple realizes Coral's revenge cannot be stopped — the film has shifted from ghost story to survival horror, where nature and the supernatural combine to trap them in a place they were never meant to visit.