The Island (2005) Reviews

• Why were the critics so harsh on the film?

  Smells_Like_Cheese2006-01-30

  I thought "The Island" was fantastic and just was a movie worth watching. Ewan and Scarlett were just great together in this on the seat thriller, the story was just very exciting. Especially since cloning is such a huge debate right now, I know that it is going to get more intense in the future. That's the story's main plot, cloning and wither it's right or wrong of playing God. The story itself just keeps you guessing and thinking with some very great effects. I would without a doubt recommend "The Island" for your viewing pleasure. It's a lot of fun, it's got excitement, romance, action, and a plot that actually worked coming from Michael Bay. :D My only complaint is the ending, which I choose not to give away, but it leaves some room for questioning. Other than that, enjoy! 9/10

  More

• Underrated!

  qball_822005-08-03

  I found The Island to be highly enjoyable - a great Summer blockbuster that isn't quite mindless. It raises a number of very interesting questions... Plenty of eye candy in every form, the two leads, the scenery, explosions, action sequences, the cinematography, everything you would expect from Michael Bay and Co. The pacing to begin with is somewhat slow as the premise is set up (though disappointingly the trailers give it all away), but once it launches into the first action sequence it doesn't let up for some time. Yes the story has a number of plot holes but you can easily overlook them and get swept away in the fun. I've never seen Johansson on film until now and WOW, now I know what all the fuss is about. Her and McGregor display enough chemistry to make their relationship believable but only just. I'm sure this will only propel them onto bigger and better things. My one and only gripe was with the ending scene complete with cheesy choral accompaniment - blech! Maybe Bay just couldn't help himself. I suppose no film is perfect.. 7 out of 10, solid, fun entertainment, what more can you ask for?

  More

• Original, Intriguing and Scary View of Science, Ethic and Future Society

  claudio_carvalho2005-12-10

  In 2019, Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson) are best friends in a repressive and intriguing society, where everybody expects to win the lottery. The prize is to move to a paradisiacal island outside the domes that protect the dwellers against the contaminated environment. Jordan wins the lottery, and Lincoln accidentally finds the scary truth behind the utopist award. "The Island" is an original, intriguing and scary view of science, ethic and society in a near future. Using elements of "Logan's Run", "Matrix", "Gattaca" and "The Thirteenth Floor", among other sci-fi movies, and non-stop action, it is a surprisingly great film. I liked very much the amoral behavior of Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean), with a total lack of ethic, and the possibility of replacement parts raised in the story. Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor shows a good chemistry, and watching this sci-fi / action movie is worthwhile, even to think how cloning process shall be discussed by the society and controlled through well-studied laws. My vote is eight. Title (Brazil): "A Ilha" ("The Island")

  More

• The Popcorn Action Sci-Fi Thriller for summer 2005

  MovieManMenzel2005-07-24

  I worked at Eworks when I first saw the trailer for "The Island." I wasn't blown away by the trailer and neither was anyone I worked with, mainly because we couldn't figure out what the hell the movie was about. Several trailers and TV spots later, I still felt the same way about it. The only thing about the film that interested me was the cast. I really like Scarlett Johansson, Ewan McGregor, and Steve Buscemi. So considering that there was nothing else out this weekend I decided to give "The Island" a chance. "The Island" is basically about the end of the human race or so we think. The movie's basic storyline for the film is this: the human race gets contaminated and there is this compound that rescues people and decontaminates them. So all of the world's survivors live in this compound with the ultimate goal of going to the Island, where everyone can live a safe and happy life. However, Lincoln (Ewan McGregor) finds that this compound doesn't make much sense and begins to question the whole idea of the island. It isn't long before Lincoln finds out the truth behind the island but just when he does his best friend Jordan (Scarlett Johansson) gets selected to go to the island. It is now up to Lincoln to save Jordan and the rest of the people in the compound from going to the island and ultimately finding out the truth of their existence. An intense and action packed film ensues… Like I said earlier this film never really interested me but since this summer is really lacking in films, I gave it a chance and I am glad I did. This movie may actually be Michael Bay's move from all action to action and story. While there are still some plot holes in the film and the script could use a little fixing up, the majority of the film was well done especially for someone like Michael Bay. The story was very interesting and seemed pretty realistic. Sure it had a few far-fetched action scenes but what's a summer action movie without them? But on the whole it was action packed, entertaining, interesting, and thought provoking film(wow who would believe that one day I could say that about a Michael Bay movie). I also never thought I would see Scarlett Johansson play in a Hollywood action/thriller and from her scenes in the trailer it looked like I never wanted to either. However I was pleasantly surprised by how she pulled it off. She seemed to fit the role and was very good at it. But if you ask me would I rather see her in big budget popcorn flicks or independent films, I would still pick the independent films. Ewan McGregor was actually good as well, and again I never thought I would see him pull off a role like this but I guess that proves that both McGregor and Johansson are good actors. It's was also fun to have Ewan and Scarlett giving the film a few chuckles here and there. Steve Buscemi is our comedic relief guy as well as the guy who basically explains the whole island thing to us. He was good but I felt was cut out of the film awfully fast. Bottom line is that I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of "The Island." It was a lot better then "War of the Worlds" which basically had all action and no story. This film doesn't have a perfect story, but it still has one and has an interesting concept at that. This film isn't going to win best picture any time soon but it's a good summer blockbuster. The basic premise of the film to me seems very believable in the near future. I just suggest buying the biggest popcorn and soda at the theater and enjoy! MovieManMenzel's final rating for "The Island" is a 7/10

  More

• The Island Is A Mighty Fine Movie.

  BigHardcoreRed2005-08-04

  The Island is about the possibility, in the not too distant future, of a clone farm, for lack of a better term. When dealing with clones, especially in the movies, problems usually arise due to the lack of knowledge in the area. In this particular movie, it does not give away that they are clones too soon (unless you saw the preview). We are eased into their predicament slowly, although something is quite different and not right. At the beginning, I got sort of a Truman Show kind of feel to the movie, as they are always being watched, either by computers or cameras, and their lives are controlled in just about every detail. The clones are told that the outer world is contaminated and that the only safe place left is "the island". The only way to get to the island is through random lotteries where the lucky winner is whisked away to their new paradise. Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) is the first of the "harvested beings", as they put it, to start asking questions and even has distinct memories that were not embedded by the corporation. While wandering around, he soon discovers they have all been lied to. Meanwhile, one of his closest friends, Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson), has just won the lottery! Just as she is getting ready to leave, Lincoln grabs her away and starts running. The rest of the movie is pretty much a chase scene. One scene in particular closely resembles the one from Bad Boys II. That is not a bad thing, as it was still unique and fun watching the mass destruction. Both Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson did a fine job in their roles. Somehow, I do not remember Scarlett being as hot as she was in this film but maybe that is just the movie magic. Either way, she has a new fan. Also, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Clarke Duncan, Steve Buscemi and Sean Bean did fine jobs with their roles. Duncan's role was pretty small but his performance was very strong and relevant to the story. I was reminded of many movies while watching this one. One scene, while showing the harvesting, was closely resembling The Matrix. Also, one of the reasons I liked this movie so much was the ingenuity involved with inventions of the future. From innovated trains to literal desktop computers (that was awesome) to cars and even to an X-Box, those little things sprinkled all through the movie kept my eyes on the screen. Similar to I, Robot. Although I would not have considered myself a fan of Michael Bay, after seeing this movie and realizing what other movies he is also responsible for (minus Pearl Harbor), I can say that I like his work and am looking forward to his upcoming Transformers project. 8.5/10

  More