Also known as: Who Can Kill a Child? Year of release: 1976 Country: Spain Director: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador Also known for: The House That Screamed (1969) Overview Long before the rise of "elevated horror" or the ruthless child antagonists of films like The Children or Eden Lake , Spanish director Narciso Ibáñez Serrador crafted one of the most disturbing and morally complex thrillers in cinema history. Island of the Damned (released in the US under its literal translated title, Who Can Kill a Child? ) is a masterclass in slow-burn dread, using the stark innocence of childhood as its most terrifying weapon. Plot Summary The film follows Tomás (Lewis Fiander) and his pregnant English wife, Evelyn (Prunella Ransome), a young couple vacationing in a remote fishing village off the coast of Spain. Seeking a quieter spot away from the mainland crowds, they take a boat to the idyllic island of Almanzora.
Ibáñez Serrador weaponizes the audience’s own morality. We watch, frustrated and horrified, as the couple hesitates—often fatally—because the act of harming a child feels impossible. The film brutally questions whether that moral code is a virtue or a death sentence. Unlike the gothic shadows of 1970s Italian horror or the visceral gore of American slashers, Island of the Damned is shot in the harsh, relentless light of the Mediterranean sun. There are no dark alleys or haunted houses. The horror happens at noon, on white beaches and quiet cobblestone streets. This naturalistic, almost documentary-like style makes the violence feel uncomfortably real. Island of the Damned--quien puede matar a un nino
Upon arrival, they find the village strangely silent. There are no adults anywhere—only children. Initially perplexed, they soon discover a horrifying reality: the children of Almanzora have inexplicably turned murderous. Without warning, malice, or remorse, they systematically kill every adult they encounter, using tools, toys, and their bare hands. Tomás and Evelyn are forced to flee across the sun-drenched but now-nightmarish island, pursued by an ever-growing mob of smiling, silent, and utterly remorseless children. The original Spanish title, ¿Quién puede matar a un niño? , translates to Who Can Kill a Child? This is not just a title; it is the film’s philosophical and emotional engine. Throughout the story, Tomás and Evelyn hesitate. Their instincts scream for survival, but a deep, almost primal social taboo holds them back. Can they strike a child? Can they shoot a ten-year-old who is lunging at them with a sickle? Also known as: Who Can Kill a Child