Shiver me timbers! You wouldn't mess with this menacing Long John Silver: ROLAND WHITE reviews the sinister new Treasure Island

Published: 17:00 EDT, 12 October 2026 | Updated: 17:02 EDT, 12 October 2026 Treasure Island (Paramount+)Rating:Four starsThe reason anybody pretending to be a pirate usually sounds like a warm-up act for The Wurzels is because Robert Newton, who played Long John Silver in the 1950 film of Treasure Island, came from Cornwall.He became the definitive Silver, which is quite an achievement because nobody sounds evil and threatening in a West Country accent. Imagine Darth Vader with actor David Prowse's original Bristolian and you'll see what I mean.Silver is played in Paramount's version of Treasure Island by the highly reliable David Oyelowo, who looks and behaves as if he's spent three years on a traditional pirate ship to prepare for the role.This Silver speaks with a Caribbean accent, and you really don't want to mess with him.Even his smile carries an air of underlying menace - like an undertaker who has just heard about an imminent outbreak of plague.When he arrives at the Admiral Benbow pub in search of his shipmate Billy Bones, you can feel the fear as he hobbles on his wooden leg through the door. Silver is played in Paramount's version of Treasure Island by the highly reliable David Oyelowo, who looks and behaves as if he's spent three years on a traditional pirate shipAnd for a one-legged man, he didn't have much trouble fighting off a group of armed militia men. I couldn't tell exactly how many he fought because it was quite dark in the pub.Quite a lot of the action from the first episode takes place in subdued lighting. In theory, this creates an atmosphere of darkness and terror. In practice, it's just difficult to see what's going on.The script took a few liberties with the Robert Louis Stevenson original. Perhaps the biggest change — and rather a clever one — is that young Jim Hawkins is a teenage Mr Memory act. If there were an 18th-century version of Britain's Got Talent, Simon Cowell would be putting on his 'surprised' face.The pub is run by his scheming and ambitious mother, Bess, played by Hayley Atwell, and is supposedly not a profitable concern. (Which is odd, because it seems to be packed every time the cameras visit).So to make money, she bets customers that Jim cannot perfectly recite a page from The Bible picked by one of them. It takes just one glance for him to be word-perfect.In the book, Mrs Hawkins stays at home while Jim goes off in search of treasure and adventure. In this version, she is the driving force. Treasure Island is action-packed and highly watchable. I really have only one serious complaint: when is the parrot going to get some lines?At times she reminded me of Victoria Beckham — both women have the glint of cold ambition in their eyes.Mrs Hawkins uses all the weapons available to an attractive widow. And it turns out that she's pretty good with a pistol and sword, too.Treasure Island is action-packed and highly watchable. I really have only one serious complaint: when is the parrot going to get some lines?MICHAEL'S MENU: There's always something challenging for Michael Palin to eat on his travels. In the final episode of Michael Palin In The Philippines (Ch5) he tried durian, a fruit that smells of rotten eggs.His verdict: 'Like eating a sofa.' With lines like that, is it too late to recruit him for MasterChef?