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The Island
Lincoln Six-Echo (McGregor) is a resident of a seemingly utopian but contained facility in the mid-21st century. Like all of the inhabitants of this carefully controlled environment, Lincoln hopes to...  View more >

Starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean...  View more >

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Reviews Summary


Please Note: Reader Reviews are submitted by the readers of The BigScreen Cinema Guide and represent their own personal opinions regarding this movie, and do not represent the views of The BigScreen Cinema Guide, or any of its associated entities.

Jul 23, 2005
A little slow to start, but a lot of action from then on.
Jul 27, 2005
Director Michael Bay goes it alone without perennial coworker Jerry Bruckheimer and creates a very believable vision of the near future where a corporation is using clones to produce body parts and other services for paying clients. For a mere $5 million, you too can have a clone in waiting, just in case you need an organ transplant (or five). Life is good for the clones, even if their clothes are boring and they can't violate proximity rules with the opposite gender. That is, until the paying client needs something, and the grim reaper comes calling...

What I liked about this vision of the future is that it isn't too farfetched. Yes, there are flying motorcycles, but a vast majority of transportation still gets around on wheels and everyone isn't wearing tin foil costumes. The mag-lev Amtrak train was a cool futuristic touch.

It wouldn't be a Michael Bay production without lots of action, and The Island doesn't disappoint in this department. There is a very long chase scene involving a semi-truck full of railroad car wheels, the aforementioned flying motorcycles, an armored truck with a demolition derby fetish, and a big red sign. This scene lasts quite a while, to the point where I was hoping for a break in the action so that I could catch my breath before the next twists and turns began. The freeway scene is reminiscent of the second Matrix movie.

If all this movie had was action and no story, I wouldn't be giving it a See Now! rating. While other reviews I've read have knocked it for being weak on story, I thought it was interesting enough to be satisfying. Rather than being a simple backdrop for the action sequences, the futuristic setting and the story of two clones who decide that living in a virtual fishbowl provide an interesting storyline. The product placements are a little severe (Aquafina must have paid good money, as well as Microsoft), but that's pretty consistent with other movies in the genre.

The acting was probably the weakest part of the whole movie, but that's only because not much was required from the actors. They didn't give poor performances; it's just that not much was expected of them, and it doesn't really matter. The only real disappointment was Sean Bean's evil doctor character. He's a good actor that can do the villain role well, and he isn't given enough screen time or material to portray the depth I think he could have.

The best performance is from Djimon Hounsou as the cleanup guy brought in to track down and "eliminate the problem" of two escaped clones. His performance is a solid reminder of Avery Brooks' portrayal of Hawk in the "Spenser: For Hire" TV series; cool, in control, slightly menacing, and with his own set of rules and agenda.

Scarlett Johansson is a favorite actress of mine, so her presence is always appreciated. However, her role could have been played by any number of actresses, as she isn't given anything demanding to do. I suppose that everyone is entitled to squeeze in a fun actioner in between more serious and demanding roles...

If there is one problem in the movie, it is with the love scene between Johansson and Ewan McGregor. It is clear that whoever was in charge of filming and editing that scene didn't know what to do with it, because what could have been a powerful and/or tender moment between them just looks stilted. It's possible that they were more concerned about not risking their PG-13 rating than they were about creating a useful scene. While nudity wouldn't have been necessary to make the scene, some sensuality is necessary in a love scene, and this didn't have it. One can imagine the MPAA rep sitting behind the editor expressing disapproval every time too much was shown, or the studio rep reminding the director during filming that they are contractually obligated to deliver a PG-13 movie. This couldn't have been taken care of by better use of camera angles, and an unrated version on DVD (that would have been sure to have sold very well).

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and I recommend seeing it. I look forward to seeing it again on DVD!
Jul 28, 2005
Its a Micheal Bay film, you won't find a storyline that that is very in depth, characters that are completly three dimensional, or great, top notch dialogue. But, say what you will about the man, he can direct an action sequence like no other director, and this movie doesn't disapoint in that regard. Good action flick, if you go in expecting a Micheal Bay movie, and not something that will complete for any Oscar, you won't leave disapointed.
Aug 1, 2005
\"The Island\" is a thrilling film which will remind you of \"Logan\'s Run\" back in 1976. Ewan McGregor plays one of the residents who is promised a trip to the Island, but after he learned that they only whanted his body parts, he fled taking Scarlett Johannson with him. The action scenes on the highway will remind you of \"The Matrix:Reloaded.\" they are thrilling. This is a smart movie action movie with heart. The movie is \"The Island.\"
Aug 5, 2005
This would rate higher, but the trailer gave too many plot points away. Great chase scene.

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