The Island (USA, 2005)
Michael Bay science fiction action thriller starring Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Sean Bean, Djimon Hounsou, and Steve Buscemi.
Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Johansson) live in a completely sealed compound because the outside world has been destroyed by a global contamination. Survivors live pampered lives in the compound although they must conform to regimented rules focused on maintaining optimal health (Lincoln is regularly denied bacon, much to his consternation) and avoiding romantic relationships (Lincoln does not like this one very much either).
Everybody lives in anticipation of winning The Lottery, a chance to go live on a pristine island paradise that is the only uncontaminated place left on Earth.
Lincoln starts to question the arbitrary nature of this enclosed society, and this puts both himself and Jordan in danger.
In many ways, this film is a loose remake of
Logan's Run; somebody starts to question the underlying truth of their enclosed utopian existence and is immediately put in danger. Because it is a Michael Bay film, rest assured that there will be no examination of the philosophical ramifications of any of this nor will there even be an attempt at nuance. However, its looks great and lots of things go boom.
At least McGregor and Johansson can really act (and Johansson has also never looked better). They may be overqualified for their roles, but they add a lot to the movie.
Bay knows how to film a very specific aesthetic and he is a master of action set pieces. Both skills are on full display here. The ending is a monstrous failure of imagination. Basically, we get the full Michael Bay experience. Bay giveth, and Bay taketh away.
On the nitpicking side, Hounsou plays an elite bounty hunter type (and his screen presence, as always, is incredible) but there were 2 great pieces of unintentional comedy. First, they pay homage to Tommy Lee Jones in
The Fugitive when Hounsou commands his team to set up a search perimeter based on how long some people have been on the loose. He assumes that they have a maximum speed of 1.2 miles/hour. What? Are they crawling? Second, Hounsou’s team is supposed to be an elite secret private force. In one scene, the employer says, “you can pick up your check from reception downstairs”. It made me laugh that they are getting paid by check! Who do they make it out to? “Super-Secret Bounty Hunters Inc.”?
I would be remiss if I fail to point out that the track suits in the compound are incredible. Quite possibly the greatest track suit aesthetic ever put on film. It is that good.
Rating: 6.5/10 (I added 0.5 for the track suits)
This is not a brainy movie but the trailer gives away too much and so I skipped it. Here is the poster instead:
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