Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo Steal a Dazzling but Uneven 'Treasure Island' Adaptation | Review

Published Oct 9, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

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Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, the iconic tale of Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver chasing down the treasure of Captain Flint has been adapted for the screen more than just about any other story you could think of since its publication in 1883, and MGM+ is taking another crack at the journey with a six-episode series that introduces a couple of new wrinkles into the fabric of the story's history.

At its core, the new Treasure Island series is faithful to Stevenson's original work, keeping the complicated relationship between Jim and Long John firmly in the spotlight. But this take, from creator Robert Murphy, puts a different spin on the origin of that dynamic, and creates a much bigger role for Jim's mother — which does wonders for everyone involved. There's a dazzling dance of deception going on between the core characters at all times, making for some extremely compelling TV, though the latter half of the six-episode season has a lot of trouble keeping pace with its electrifying start.

What Is MGM+'s 'Treasure Island' About?

We all know the story of Treasure Island by now, and the MGM+ series sticks to the broad strokes, but from the get-go it's easy to tell that this adaptation is trying to take a big page out of Pirates of the Caribbean by developing a web of deception and warring ambitions between its lead characters. Each major player wants the treasure of Captain Flint for their own reasons, and they're constantly trading the upper hand as they all vie for it. Young Jim (Tom Sweet) is the only one who actually knows how to find the treasure — thanks to what is essentially a photographic memory — and he's caught in the middle of all of them, wondering who to trust and when.

Jim's mother, Bess Hawkins (Hayley Atwell), takes on a much larger role in this version of the story than any of the others we've seen previously, an inclusion that turns out to be one of Treasure Island's greatest strengths. Not only does Bess being involved in the journey help to further along Jim's coming-of-age saga, but she proves to be a fantastic foil that's every bit as cunning as the men she's up against.

Jim is clearly aligned with his mother from the start, but seeing what she's capable of gives him pause, pushing him at times towards the not-so-noble merchant Aaron Graham (Jack Huston) and the dangerous cook, Long John Silver (David Oyelowo). Unlike the original book, Silver isn't a mystery to Jim when they first cross paths on their voyage to Jamaica. He and Bess are both fully aware of what Long John is capable of, having witnessed his part in the fate of Billy Bones (Tomer Capone). That dark run-in provides an excellent springboard for drama between the trio once they set sail, and the curious generosity of Graham only complicates things further.

Even in its dullest moments, Treasure Island is kept afloat by an outstanding cast, all of whom make great use of the material. None stand out, however, quite like Atwell and Oyelowo. Atwell is as excellent as expected as Bess Hawkins, consistently elevating every frame she's in, but it's Oyelowo who ultimately steals the show, acting so against type as the maniacal Long John Silver. He's terrifying and treacherous, but absolutely overflowing with charm, just as Silver should be.

'Treasure Island' Struggles in the Back Half

Treasure Island may not have the budget to look quite as good as Pirates of the Caribbean, or even Black Sails (itself a prequel to the Stevenson novel), but the creative and production teams do a lot with a little throughout the series. The adventure feels grand when they're on the sea, and the close quarters of the ship are used to great effect, making things seem bigger than they are. The fantastic cast, savvy production, and intriguing story changes keep the entire thing humming through the first three or four episodes, but Treasure Island does lose its course a bit as it nears the finish line.

Without giving anything away, the six-episode series does cover the material in Stevenson's novel, meaning that the characters do eventually reach Skeleton Island. This is where the story should be at its most exciting, but it's sadly the opposite for this take on Treasure Island. Momentum comes to a halt as soon as the crew reaches land. There's a lot of meandering as they follow the map in Jim's head, and some downright confounding decisions that add seemingly nothing to the story but were made simply to... say they did something different? The changes to the start of the story work wonders for the tale overall, but the big surprises saved for the back half almost derail it entirely. There are some real head-scratchers in there, along with several plot threads that feel important to the story, only to be completely abandoned.

Maybe some bets were being hedged on a second season, which wouldn't be the worst thing after seeing this installment's final scenes. Despite a slew of frustrating moments in the last two episodes, the ending is quite good, and it's clear there could be more to the story of Treasure Island beyond the original book. It would be nice to see the series pursue that, especially if it means getting to revisit some of the stories that viewers only get a taste of in these six episodes. If that doesn't come to pass, though, Treasure Island does offer up some satisfying closure in regard to Captain Flint's buried horde.

Treasure Island premieres October 11 on MGM+.

Treasure Island

Treasure Island is a fresh, if sometimes uneven reinvention of a classic.

6 10

Pros & Cons

• Fantastic performances from the cast, especially Hayley Atwell and David Oyelowo.
• The changes made to the source material help the show stand out.
• The production design team does a lot with a little.

• The back half of the season really loses its momentum.
• Several plot threads are introduced and ultimately ignored.