Taking the myth of the Minotaur to dive into an archaeological examination of the Minoan civilization, The Minotaur's Island is a stunningly shot documentary. The doc brilliantly benefits from the backdrop of a Mediterranean paradise island, which narrator Bettany Hughes cites as an obvious inspiration for stories of love, sex, violence and gore. Speaking of, Hughes' narration is intriguing in itself, bringing a touch of sensuality to the topic.
The image The Minotaur's Island paints of the Minoans is an interesting one, a society of powerful priestesses, goddesses, and passionate violence - underneath the paradise and civilization, Hughes looks at archaeological evidence of human sacrifice and cannibalism. This ties into the doc's thesis - that the dark and violent themes of the Crete and King Minos myths tied into distant memories of the trauma the civilization faced in the wake of natural disaster, followed by violence. All the same, the academic argument takes a backseat to amazing visuals and sensations.