Hey folks, Harry here with a zillion reviews of THE ISLAND from last Saturday Night's nationwide paid sneaks. Overall - I've received far more reviews than you could imagine. This is a fair sampling - I've received far more positive reviews than negative - Wish I could have seen it Saturday, but I was co-hosting the HORRORTHON at the Drafthouse. Beware of Spoilers - they are throughout all these reviews. Sounds like Bay has done a great job...
This Bishop 78 fella.... kinda went nutso for it...
Dear whoever the hell.....
i have been a reader of this fine site for many moons now , never had a reason to write ....till now
last night i just happened to see that an amc theater near me was showing a sneak preview of the island , so my wife and i said what the fuck , called some friends and headed out ...
the movie was FANFUCKINTASTIC!!! it was great on two distinct levels ..one..as a mike bay movie ,,all the slow mo stuff , great epic shots and shit blowing up are all done to the next level of his style...but underneath the slick presentation is a truly scary , mind fuck of a story, all acting across the board is great , even miss scarlett , she did great!..and though it starts of a lil bit on the confusing side , once the pieces start to click and the action kicks in it all gets tied together in a perfect package.
i know im not giving any real details , but i dont wanna ruin it for anyone , though i will say that the freeway chase takes the one from the matrix reloaded, bends it over ,shoves a stick of tnt up its ass and kicks it off a cliff.....never thought id see a Hummer do that!!!!!
if ya use this filth , call me bishop 78
Here's a Bay fan that loves this new film... alot
Harry:
Not sure if you'll use this, but I just got back from
seeing a sneak preview of Michael Bay's THE ISLAND,
and I felt compelled to write you a note.
First, let me say right off the bat--I am a HUGE Bay
fan. Flat out, he's the best pure action filmmaker
working in Hollywood. Anyone who disputes this,
simply doesn't know their ass from a hole in the
ground, imho. Having said that, I can UDERSTAND why
some people like to pick on him. Yeah, he edits a
lot; yeah, sometimes the performances he gets from his
actors are a little clumsy; yeah, his material is
over-the top. But Bay has no doubt revolutionized the
modern day action picture (along, in no small part,
with Jerry Bruckeimer), and his style is simply
fucking breathtaking. The man has NEVER shot one ugly
frame of film in his life. I don't think it's
possible for him too. His attention to detail with
special effects is the best in the business as well.
Unlike George Lucas, who has been overtaken completely
by computers it seems, Bay's abilitiy with blending
live-action shooting and cgi shots is unparralelled.
The cgi work during the attack sequence of PEARL
HARBOR is still unblieveable and at times awe
inspiring; the work on THE ROCK is flawless to this
day at that was shot back in 1995; and the stuff in
BAD BOYS 2 is so seamless you don't even know when cgi
is even being used. In short, I love watching Bay;s
movies beacuse they always look photo-real. One of my
MAJOR hang-ups with big-budget filmmaking is that when
I watch big action scenes, I want the stuff to look as
real as possible; I don't like being taken out of the
experince by obvious or sub-par digital effects.,
which is why I hated LOTR and shit like FANTASTIC FOUR
and anything by Renny Harlin. For me, some of the
best visual effects have been in movies like WAR OF
THE
WORLDS, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, BATMAN BEGINS,
SPIDERMAN 2, any Bay film, anything Ridley Scott/Tony
Scott especially KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and MAN ON FIRE.
THE ISLAND represents the best work from Bay yet. For
the first time, he has a layered, serious, dark, and
dare I say slighltly subversive script to work with.
He's patient with this movie, teasing the audience a
bit in the begining, but allowing the story to build a
full head of momentum, while neatly laying out the
set-up (anyone who knows anything about movies should
know the deal by know: Ewan McGregor and Scarlet
Johanson are clones who escape from a facility when
they realize that THE ISLAND--the supposed last place
on earth to live and where they hope to end--is not
what it seems to be.
The film has a great chase structure for the last
2/3rd's that's perfectly paced and crafted (the
editing by Paul Rubell, who also cut the superb
COLLATERAL and CHRISTIAN WAGNER, whose work on MAN ON
FIRE was nothing short of spectacular), is some of the
best action-movie editing in a long time. Mauro
Fiore's camerawork is simply fucking ravishing to be
perfectly honest; there's not one shot that's not
visually interesting in some way. The script, by
Caspian Treadwell Owen, Kurtzman/Ocri, is lean and
economical and smart in the way that it set's stuff
up, delivers pay off, and has no holes or glaring plot
beefs (sure, as with any summer movie, you need to
suspend disbelief with a crane at times, but a this
point that to be expected).
But, the car/flying motorcyle/20-wheeler truck chase
that occurs about an hour in is-to be sure-, the best
chase that I have ever seen. I watch ALOT of movies,
as I am sure you have, and lots of others too. And a
shit-load of action flicks (they're my favorite) But,
shot-for-shot, moment-for-moment, what I saw tonight
simply tore the roof off the movie complex. I mean,
Bay made his insane work on BAD BOYS 2 with the car
carrier look like an Uwe Boll shit-fest with what's on
display in THE ISLAND. Without spoiling too much
(because it's just so fucking awesome), a number of
automobiles and trucks are leveld by hurtling dumbells
which are being tossed off the back of a truck, with
these mean-ass looking speederbike -type flying
mototcycles giving chase. When Ewan and Scarlet
finally get on one one of the bikes, look out--it's
one of the nastiest bits of special effects filmmaking
to hit movie screens. Simply breathtaking. The
applause from the crowd in the middle of the scene was
well deserved.
And I will say...without spoiling too much for people
who don't want to know absoultely everything about the
movie...the REASONS why the clones are being harvested
are in a way, kinda scary, and to some extent,
sort-of-believeable in a sci-fi way...I can sort of
imagine a future world where clones are grown for
their spare-parts...the movie makes the point that
Americans want to live forever and if people have the
$, they'll do anything to protect themselves. It's
kind of true.
Anyways, this is THE thrill ride of the summer. And
before
anyone thinks I'm some bitch writing this for
Dreamworks, I'm a talent agent who works at a
television agency, with no affiliation whatsoever with
the making of the film.
This is Michael Bay's masterpiece. It's an awesome
piece of pure science fiction movie making with
absolutley top-notch visual effects, nods to some of
the best sci-fi movies (BLADERUNNER, LOGANS RUN, TOTAL
RECALL) of all time, and enough original parts to make
a totally wild night at the movies. The acting is
great all around, with Ewan and Scarlet making for a
perfect team. Djimon Hounsou is elegant as always.
Buscemi steals every scene he's in. And Sean Bean is,
as always, terrific, even if he might be getting
typecast.
It was smart that they sneaked this baby because of
all fhe movies this summer (and I've seen EVERYTHING),
this is the one that's gotten the best audience
response that I've seen. For sure, I'll see it again
when it opens on the 22nd.
I hope you can use this, or part of it.
Keep up the great work!
Signed,
MBforPREZ
This fella feels this is Bay's best film...
Hey Harry....saw the Island last night in Plano, TX.
Just giving my thoughts.
If you use this, call me Son of a Blitch.
Ok, first off. I want to declare my feelings for
Michael Bay. I love Bad Boys, love the Rock, I liked
Armageddon, and thought Bad Boys II was good because
of the action sequences. I haven't seen Pearl Harbor
and never really plan to. Honestly, I think he is an
incredible visual director who can really plan an
action sequence. But that's usually it.
Boy, all i can say about The Island is....... finally!
I think Bay finally hit this one out of the park! I
wonder if its a coincidence that this is the first
non-Bruckenheimer of Bay's because this one is his
best......BY FAR!!!! It's good to see a movie this
summer that's not a remake or a sequel.
Lemme break it down--
Acting. I love Ewan as Lincoln Six-Echo. Loved him
in Star Wars, Moulin Rouge, guy has some chops. His
American accent is solid enough for me to really root
for this guy. He's also great and sleazy as his
"sponsor" Tom Lincoln, who has a Scottish accent and
loves the sex. He's not an action star, but I'll get
to that in a moment.
Scarlett is Jordan Two-Delta and is a LOT BETTER than
I anticipated. Her voice wasnt as low as some of her
other movies, and that was fine by me. She perfectly
conveys, at the beginning, her naivety about wanting
to go to the Island (is that proper grammar?). She's
a great match for Lincoln and her highlights are when
she's in the bar after they escape and when they
realize how awesome kissing is.
Now, for the supporting roles--
Sean Bean is Sean Bean. This guy is not entirely
evil, just a businessman protecting his investments
and keeping suspicion down. This guy doesn't need
direction, just give him his lines and he'll take it
from there.
Djimon Houstou is the highlight of the film for me.
He is has presence that is UNMATCHED by anyone in this
movie and possibly in any movie. He has a great
opening shot (with the slo-mo helicopter) and great
last shot too. There's this one shot where he is just
standing there with his arms on his side and the
camera slowly moves away from him. I dare you to find
a man with more expression in a single glance.
Whoever thought Michael Clarke Duncan was overracting
really has it wrong. I would be that excited if I won
the lottery too, and I thought his failed escape was
heartbreaking, and just seeing him being pulled back
in to the operating lab is something that will stay in
your heads. Just seeing a guy that powerful so
powerless really lets you know what you are dealing
with.
Steve Buscemi is good as the informant. He did what
he had to do, and made the most of it.
This was great too. Let me go on the record and say
that Ewan and Scarlett arent action stars. And they
arent supposed to be either. All I'm saying is that
they did what any clone would do in their situation,
if that makes any sense. I mean, they don't fight
with their fists or kung-fu. They fight with
crowbars, nail guns (<--- awesome by the way), and
huge dumbell-looking things on a truck. By the way,
that car chase scene is great. So much destruction,
its good to see an action movie where real things get
destroyed.
Easily the best movie he's ever directed. Some of the
shots took my breath away. For once, for me at least,
the action didnt outweigh the story. It was a nice
medium for both.
Yes, I loved this movie, but there were a little bit
of problems that i can easily forgive.
The only true moment that the Action took me away from
the film is where Lincoln and Jordan are on a huge
logo on the 70th floor of a building. After that, a
black guy made up for it with a great line that reeled
me back in. But it was the only time I really said "
yeah right!"
That was all that really bugged me.
Ewan's appropriate funny quotes "He's taking a
dump? Where?" And "that tongue thing is great."
Any scene with Djimon. That guy is a stud.
Clarke Duncan's "finale."
Overall, This movie rocks. 9/10 in my book, and a
close second to Batman Begins as the best of the
summer.
1) Batman Begins
2) The Island
3) Sith
4) War of the Worlds
With his Platinum Dunes company, and this, my faith in
Bay is restored in full.
Later harry
This fella went bonkers for it...
Hi harry. Love your site.
This is a spoiler-free review. To give you a sample of my taste in movies before you read this review, I'll just say that Star Wars - Ep. IV, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Goodfellas are my three favorite movies. And I love Michael Bay's films ( which, to most of you, means that I have absolutely NO taste).
My first impression was that it was a 90mn L'Oreal commercial with about 25 mn of ass-kicking Michael Bay action.
Now it's not totally a bad thing. The movie looks really good (for the most part). The sets are cool, the actors are all beautiful (Bay has GOT to be the horniest director around. Almost every chick in this film is hot - God bless him) and the visual effects are (for the most part) very convincing.
The plot was okay, but it is not as much of a mind-fuck as the trailer suggests it's going to be. I liked very much the way exposition was handled here though: instead of bombarding the audience with facts in the first reel, Bay and his screenwriters very shrewdly dispense bits of information about the island and the clones slowly throughout the movie.
Mc Gregor is impeccable as always. So is Scarlett Johansson (it seems to me that Bay asked her to hit the threadmill since Lost in Translation: she is unbelievably hot here)
The action, as usual with Bay, is top-notch. The freeway scene is just as cool as the one in Bad Boys 2. My only regret is the jet-bike scene: It's absolutely fucking amazing... but it lasts ONE MINUTE!!! This was the scene that was gonna knock Jedi's speeder-bike scene out. And had it lasted longer, it would have. The shots are unbelievable and the effects fantastic. Bay throws shit at your face like nobody else. But WHY Michael? Why give us tons of been-there-seen-that car and foot chases, and when you get the chance to give us the ride of the summer, you stop after one minute?
But the main problem I have with this picture is the way Bay edits non-action scenes like commercials. He'll flash stuff at your face for a couple of frames in the middle of a dialogue to (I suppose) "emphasize" whatever it is he needs to emphasize. And most of the time, it's gratuitous.
Too bad.
Overall, I give it 3 out of four stars. In Bay's career, I rank it below Armageddon (which I love... go fuck yourselves everybody) and waaaayyyy below The Rock (which I worship). But it is superior to Bad Boys 2.
Call me Starwarrior.
This fella thought it was pretty good...
Hello AICN Gang,
I just got back from a sneak preview of "The Island" and want to let you know what I thought. As far as Michael Bay's direction goes well it's pretty much what you'd except from him, there's lots of over the top and ridiculous but ultimately very entertaining action sequences. Compared to some of his other movies I'd say this isn't as good as The Rock, Bad Boys, or Bad Boys 2, or even Armageddon which I know people hate on but I enjoyed. However, it's much better than Pearl Harbor, so It's I guess one of his weaker efforts but still entertaining. Ewan Mcgregor does a fine job with his role, he actually gets to play two characters, one british, one american, the man and the clone respectivaley. This will ultimately lead to the obligatory scene where the real man and his clone get into a tussle and the people who are chasing the clone get mixed up between who the clone is and who the real person is. I think I've seen this scenario on episodes os South Park and The Simpsons. Scarlett Johansan isn't very interesting in this movie, sure she's very attractive and that's about all she adds to the movie. Sean Bean as the bad guy is basically uninspired nothing new, just a plain old prick. A highlight of the movie is Steve Buscemi as the scientist who helps out the clones. He has a nice kooky little part that suits him well. All in all this was pretty entertaining, i know people say the story is a ripoff of some other material but as far as movies go this is a pretty orignal concept, not many films have had a plot quite like this. It's worth checking out but don't expect to be blown away, it does sorta seem like Bay phoned this one in, but he phoned it in quite well.
I also want to mention what the crowd was like. I saw it in a Loews Theater and it wasn't quite sold out but it was definately crowded, i've seen more packed sneak previews, but people are certainly aware of this movie. I did notice two people walk out about 45 min in but it looked like two teenage girls, so I'm not sure what they were expecting this isn't a romantic comedy, although Ewan and Scarlett do start to fall for each other and it's funny because of how forced it seems. Once the credits rolled two people tried start a clap and then two more joined in but one no one else in the theater did all four quickly stopped. This should probalby do well I'm predicting 35 mil opening weekend, on it's way to about 110 mil.
That's all for now, if you use this call me SHU,
Peace
Here's another that really dug it...
Hey Harry and Co. long time reader first time contributor and all that.
I caught a sneak peek of "The Island". I went in expecting to be entertained and little else because we are talking about a Michael Bay film and while he does big stunts and explosions well, he doesn't do much else. My friends and I actually had a discussion last week while watching "Bad Boys II" about whether Michael Bay realizes he's make over the top action extravaganzas with not much else or not. I say he does, especially with that flick. I was a little nervous going in because I heard that this was a more serious Michael Bay film and my "Pearl Harbor" radar went off. The reviews I read on your site were good but someone mentioned "plant" so I was instantly wary. But I gotta say this was a pretty damn good entertainment. For Michael Bay this may be a freaking masterpiece. Going over his filmography this is probably the only film of his I can think of that didn't bore me between action sequences or bore me with non-stop action a la "Armageddon". Don't get me wrong his films are good in a nihilistic "Holy Crap, that was cool" kind of way but "The Island" is a little more than that. It is by no means a deep and thoughtful science-fiction film but the first hour is practically action free and it still held my interest.
The plot is pretty cool, for those who don't know, McGregor is a part of a society that lives in a giant safe house free from the outside that has supposedly been contaminated. A lottery picks people to go the Island which is some sort of paradise but in reality they are all clones that are kept until their owners need the spare parts. The film doesn't delve into any real political issues of cloning but it glosses over them enough. I don't know about everyone else but I'm getting tired of the sterile look of films set in the future with the clean surfaces, white clothing, and soothing announcer in the background. Thankfully once the film moves away from the clone society that design goes with it. The special effects in the film are superb and are more background than anything else but they integrate nicely with existing set pieces. I was surprised that there was only one big chase scene in the film considering the director but it is a hell of a chase scene and despite the PG-13 rating there was some pretty brutal treatment of the bad guys. I giggled with glee at a couple of their unfortunate accidents.
The reason that the fim succeeds in large part is because of Ewan McGregor. The script doesn't give him a whole hell of a lot to do with but its not as bare bones as some other Bay films and he does an admirable job of keeping the audience intrigued. Scarlett Johansen doesn't have a hell of a lot of material to work with but her early scenes with McGregor are good and they do have chemistry. And let me tell you she looks absolutely breathtaking in the movie. The seventeen year old boys behind me said it was going to be a "whack-a-thon" to her for a week afterwards, so that gives you an idea of how good she looks. The rest of the cast is good but they are mostly playing stereotypes. Sean Bean is the kind of mad scientist bad guy and he's decent if unremarkable. Steve Buscemi is pretty much Rockhound again but he's still funny. Michael Clarke Duncan has a CRIMINALLY underwritten role that equals maybe five minutes of screen time. The man was nominated for an Oscar for christsakes he needs a bigger role. Also, having seen "In America" the night before I was a little dissapointed with Djimon Hounso's role, he's basically the bad guy with a good heart, but this isn't a feast for actors.
While I really did like the movie it is not without its drawbacks. It definitly has plot holes and inconsitincies that had me wondering at times. They never explain why McGregor's character is so curious about the outside and the Island, he just sort of is and they give a half-assed answer as to why. Also, for a society that is run so strictly McGregor's character sure gets around a lot to explore the secrets behind everything without being stopped. And once he and Johanssen's character escape the film shows how child-like they are in that they know nothing of the outside world but that comes and goes when it serves the plot the best. So DO NOT go in thinking this will be a deep, meaningful sci-fi film because you will be dissapointed but go to see an entertaining flick. For a Michael Bay film this is very good and I might say his best.
Well that is all. I will be at my first Comic Con next weekend and hope to see some AICNers there.
If you use this call me The Skellington.
Refering to THE CLONUS HORROR scores high...
Hi Harry & Quint:
As promised here is my review of the local sneak preview screening of "The Island". Spoiler Free.
In 1979 Director Robert S. Fiveson's little know film "The Clonus Horror", spun a tale of a sinister organization's compound that harvested organs from clones that resided there. The clones are oblivious to the real world, believe themselves to be human, and look forward to leaving the compound for the ultimate utopian society- America. One of the clones is on to the whole devious plot, escapes, and the chase is on.
Fast forward to 2005, and Michael Bay's "The Island". A remake that holds close to the "Clonus" concept, but without the hilariously bad moments that earned the original a spot on MST3K.
"The Island" features Ewan McGregor as Lincoln Six Echo, who resides at a facility that resembles the greatest health spa / gym you've ever laid eyes on. The environment is a controlled one, no close intimate contact is permitted, and the inhabitants are educated to the ways of the world by the staff members. All the comforts of life are provided, but closely monitored by guards and the facility director played by Boromir, ahem...Sean Bean.
Jordan Two, played by the lovely Scarlet Johansson, is Lincoln's closest friend at the facility, and the romantic chemistry between them is evident from the first time they appear together onscreen.
A random lottery is held frequently where a select member of the compound gets to leave the nest permanently for a taste of paradise, a stunning destination called "The Island". But all is not well in Neverland, as Lincoln discovers that the Island is a myth and the winners take a dirt nap instead. Lincoln and Jordan escape to the "real" world and unravel the whole insidious plot.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I am not a fan of Michael Bay's. I thought Pearl Harbor was atrocious, and Armageddon looked like a 2 hour pepsi commercial. Yet with "The Island" Michael Bay has done something remarkable- he's created a film that is a thrilling rollercoaster ride from start to finish.
Let's begin with the casting. It's excellent. Ewan McGregor embodies all the traits of some of the finest leading actors of our time. He can switch between being intense during serious moments, and then a complete goofball during the film's lighter moments, playing both sides with great effort. Scarlet doesn't have as much dialogue, but she is the perfect foil to McGregor- you honestly believe that these two characters care deeply about one another. Steve Buscemi is another highlight, an engineer who befriends Lincoln within the facility. Buscemi delivers some golden comedic lines that had the audience chuckling.
This film works because the story is well crafted and honed like a guided missle. There are no long stretches of inane dialogue, or Michael Bayish slow motion shots of children running through a field with american flags. Bay lays down the groundwork and then lets all hell break loose as only he can. The action sequences are spectacular, from insane car chases to futuristic flying snowmobile pursuits. They are filmed in such a way that you feel as if you are a passenger along for the thrilling ride chasing down these two crafty escapees.
There are great touches that Bay brings to this film that would be a crime to give away here in this review. I'll let you see for yourselves. It seperates the film from being another ordinary action flick to a rather "extraordinary" action flick. There is no question that with "The Island" Bay has found a comfortable niche that sees him excelling in his craft that up to now has been rather shoddy. It's as if he did away with all the unnecessary baggage that weighed down his other films and delivered a solid, white knuckle popcorn movie that will have you talking all the way home. This IS what summer movies should be all about. A no holds barred action flick that is smart, funny, well cast, and delivers action sequences that will have your jaw on the ground. This is one island WORTH visiting.
Pete
This fella dug the film quite a bit.
I've submitted one review to you before: a pretty incoherent and
lukewarm but positive review of Serenity. Anyhow, here's my take on
The Island, which I saw in boston at the 7:30 showing (I'm sure you
have a deluge of reviews anyhow so I'll keep this quick.)
The movie is actually pretty good and generally well directed. The
photography is beautiful, but after War of the Worlds, the bar for the
summer's best action cinematography has been set and nothing will
surpass it this. At least the cinematography here is different
though. Instead of long takes, washed out colors, and a generally
varied palette, we get fast cutting, beautifully rich saturated
colors, and mostly everything rendered in golden orange and blue.
It's a beautiful, beautiful film and the art direction is impressive,
too. There's a lot of nice crane work and an amazing chase scene and
it all looks stellar. It doesn't hurt that this was the nicest 35mm
print I've ever seen, basically. I saw it on a good screen and it
definitely compared with a clean print of Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm I
saw. Not sure who's responsible for this, but it looked gorgeous.
The problem is that the movie moves too slow. The beginning is devoid
of any action at all, and the story is slow and meandering to begin.
The trailer gives away the ending and every key plot detail so if
you've seen it, this all bores you. If I hadn't seen the trailer, I
might have been interested. But, anyhow, a slow build doesn't so much
work in a Michael Bay film. The man is good at making stuff explode,
and while he's surprisingly competent at character development, there
are others who do it better. There are also slow portions during the
movie (although the scenes between Lincoln and his clone are great fun
and would be very enjoyable were it not for the trailer ruining
everything!) punctuated by short bursts of action and the pacing is
slightly off. The first chase scene is just unbelievable: it's
everything I loved about The Rock and the Bad Boys II chase scene
except taken to new extremes. The hoverbikes are super cool, too, and
the visual effects all look really great. The action is just
fantastic and bodes incredibly well for the Transformers movie.
Unfortunately, it's incongruous with the more thought-provoking and
serious sci-fi plot, which causes some issues.
The acting is pretty good, too, with a few irritating problems.
Djimon (or however you spell his name) is great and looks the part,
Sean Bean is excellent, and Ewan McGregor's performance is a lot of
fun. Unfortunately, a few lines do fall flat and there's some comic
relief guy who's just annoying as hell and won't shut up. Steve
Buscemi (as always) is good. The comic relief is 90% on the ball.
The audience was laughing a lot and a lot of the jokes really were
funny. This probably could have been milked even more with the "fish
out of water" concept of clones in the real world, but thankfully the
humor was never over done.
All in all, it's a fun movie with outstanding action sequences that
are much too short. It's beautiful, too, but beautifully shot
dialogue is still just dialogue and it gets boring if it's not going
anywhere and the plot in the movie meanders (and rips off from
countless other sources.) In fact, I think it may not be a problem
with the script or Bay's direction that keeps the movie from being
excellent but the fact that the two are incongrous to some extent.
The movie does feel different from Bruckheimer productions, too:
there's much more dialogue, much more humor (in a Spielbergian
way...you can see his influence as producer), and a different kind of
pacing.
If you haven't seen the trailers, it's a lot of fun. If you have,
you've seen most of the action (which is excellent, as always, even if
Bay rips off most of his shots from other films to the extent that you
start to think you're watching one of them) and you've seen the ENTIRE
STORY already. I mean, the ending, the plot twists...everything!
They're great trailers, but they may actually harm the movie by
giving, too much away.
All in all, decent story, good acting with a few exceptions, beautiful
cinematography and art direction, but the movie feels like low-budget
"thinking man's sci-fi" with a huge budget and random chase sequences.
Definitely fun, but it's no The Rock.
anyone that references "The Clonus Horror" is a supreme geek in my book, I take this review seriously.
Hi Harry & Quint:
As promised here is my review of the local sneak preview screening of "The Island". Spoiler Free.
In 1979 Director Robert S. Fiveson's little know film "The Clonus Horror", spun a tale of a sinister organization's compound that harvested organs from clones that resided there. The clones are oblivious to the real world, believe themselves to be human, and look forward to leaving the compound for the ultimate utopian society- America. One of the clones is on to the whole devious plot, escapes, and the chase is on.
Fast forward to 2005, and Michael Bay's "The Island". A remake that holds close to the "Clonus" concept, but without the hilariously bad moments that earned the original a spot on MST3K.
"The Island" features Ewan McGregor as Lincoln Six Echo, who resides at a facility that resembles the greatest health spa / gym you've ever laid eyes on. The environment is a controlled one, no close intimate contact is permitted, and the inhabitants are educated to the ways of the world by the staff members. All the comforts of life are provided, but closely monitored by guards and the facility director played by Boromir, ahem...Sean Bean.
Jordan Two, played by the lovely Scarlet Johansson, is Lincoln's closest friend at the facility, and the romantic chemistry between them is evident from the first time they appear together onscreen.
A random lottery is held frequently where a select member of the compound gets to leave the nest permanently for a taste of paradise, a stunning destination called "The Island". But all is not well in Neverland, as Lincoln discovers that the Island is a myth and the winners take a dirt nap instead. Lincoln and Jordan escape to the "real" world and unravel the whole insidious plot.
I would like to preface this review by saying that I am not a fan of Michael Bay's. I thought Pearl Harbor was atrocious, and Armageddon looked like a 2 hour pepsi commercial. Yet with "The Island" Michael Bay has done something remarkable- he's created a film that is a thrilling rollercoaster ride from start to finish.
Let's begin with the casting. It's excellent. Ewan McGregor embodies all the traits of some of the finest leading actors of our time. He can switch between being intense during serious moments, and then a complete goofball during the film's lighter moments, playing both sides with great effort. Scarlet doesn't have as much dialogue, but she is the perfect foil to McGregor- you honestly believe that these two characters care deeply about one another. Steve Buscemi is another highlight, an engineer who befriends Lincoln within the facility. Buscemi delivers some golden comedic lines that had the audience chuckling.
This film works because the story is well crafted and honed like a guided missle. There are no long stretches of inane dialogue, or Michael Bayish slow motion shots of children running through a field with american flags. Bay lays down the groundwork and then lets all hell break loose as only he can. The action sequences are spectacular, from insane car chases to futuristic flying snowmobile pursuits. They are filmed in such a way that you feel as if you are a passenger along for the thrilling ride chasing down these two crafty escapees.
There are great touches that Bay brings to this film that would be a crime to give away here in this review. I'll let you see for yourselves. It seperates the film from being another ordinary action flick to a rather "extraordinary" action flick. There is no question that with "The Island" Bay has found a comfortable niche that sees him excelling in his craft that up to now has been rather shoddy. It's as if he did away with all the unnecessary baggage that weighed down his other films and delivered a solid, white knuckle popcorn movie that will have you talking all the way home. This IS what summer movies should be all about. A no holds barred action flick that is smart, funny, well cast, and delivers action sequences that will have your jaw on the ground. This is one island WORTH visiting.
This one gave it 2/5....
Hey, Harry, Mori (congratulations on the kid!), and crew: just came back from the sneak preview of ?The Island?. The previews were nationwide so I?m sure you?ll be getting a lot of reviews in, but I hope this one is helpful. The long and short of it is that I didn?t enjoy the movie. Here?s why
Quint took a lot of heat after his visit to the set of ?The Island?, specifically for a comment he made about this movie representing the ?evolving sensibility of Michael Bay?. While this may be pure hyperbole, Quint is right in some respect: ?The Island? *is* different from Michael Bay?s other movies. Unfortunately, every difference is purely superficial. Instead of cops going up against drug dealers or ex-convicts, we?ve got clones going against an evil genetic corporation. That?s really the only thing that separates this film from ?Bad Boys? or every other Michael Bay action movie.
If anyone is doubtful, if they?re still buying into the hype that this is Michael Bay?s venture into mature, intelligent science fiction
I ask you this: if this is truly mature and intelligent science fiction, why does ?The Island? contain just about every hallmark of a Michael Bay movie? Let?s check them off: poor pacing, unnecessary slow motion, gratuitous T&A shots, stilted dialogue, homophobic humor, shaky camera work, motor vehicle chases, and the list goes on.
Michael Bay hasn?t changed at all. He?d like you to believe he has, but he hasn?t. He?s not interested in telling a story anymore than he has or hasn?t been in the past. He loves his cheesecake so he makes sure there?s a shot of cleavage anywhere he can fit it in. I don?t think he gives a damn about character development; he?s more concerned with overloading your senses with explosions and car chases.
By now, most readers of the site are probably familiar with the plot. Ewan McGregor and Scarlet Johansonn are but two people living in complex (which often looks like a Bally Total Fitness from the future) full of the last surviving members of the human race, or so they?re led to believe. In reality, they?re clones who basically exist as an organ farm for the rich and famous. Behind the manipulation is an evil doctor played by Sean Bean.
Out of all the actors, Sean Benn walks away the most unscathed. He?s more than capable of slipping into any genre role; he could play a maniacal villain in his sleep. So naturally he?s right at home as a doctor with delusions of godhood.
Ewan McGregor and Scarlet Johansonn don?t fare quite as well. I?m pretty sure Ewan has made it clear he doesn?t like being in big budget blockbusters like this. I can only assume he?s in this movie solely for the money. Doesn?t he realize that this results in a lifeless performance? The same goes for Scarlet, a talented beauty who should stick to cerebral, character-driven films like ?Lost in Translation?. The two of them are pretty faces but they obviously didn?t take these roles because they thought it was a story worth telling. It?s a shameless cash-in on both their parts. Fortunately, they?ve built up enough credibility over the years that this is forgivable but it doesn?t make the movie any more enjoyable.
The script is attributed to three different writers and it shows. The first thirty minutes are definitely slow-going. I don?t mind a movie taking its time to set-up the scenario but the dialogue is lifeless and it?s hard to care about the characters. None of them are that interesting and they all seem too child-like - it?s explained that the clones are only developed to the intellectual level of a fifteen year-old; however, this doesn?t make them any more compelling. Steve Buscemi?s character exists solely for exposition; once his job is done, he?s disposed of.
After the first 45 minutes or so, Michael Bay has the characters on the run. An elaborate chase sequence on a freeway is well-staged and exciting to watch, with ample car wrecks. I will give Michael Bay this: he knows how to film auto-destruction. However, even this sequence fumbles once the ?speeder-bikes? are introduced. At first, they work because they seem realistic enough (like hovering motorcycles). But once they start flying through skyscrapers, Bay lost me.
I?m sure Dreamworks and Michael Bay would like you to believe that he has crafted the next ?Matrix? but this isn?t even ?Total Recall?. Hell, it?s not even ?I, Robot?. To make matters worse, there?s a scene at the end where Ewan says his name is Lincoln, not Six Echo, as he does battle with Sean Bean
directly recalling Keanu?s ?My name is Neo, not Mr. Anderson?.
Think Michael Bay has changed? I dare someone to take a drink every time a character gets out of a car or helicopter in slow motion. You?ll be passed out before the credits roll, I can guarantee you that. Basically, if you don?t like Michael Bay, you won?t like ?The Island?. And even if you *do* like him, the slow-pacing and the muted PG-13 violence may hamper your enjoyment of this film. This is a DVD rental at best. 2/5 stars.
Then - the most negative... was this fella
Hi Harry,
When I saw there was a sneak peak of The Island I quickly went down to my theater and got a ticket for myself and a friend. I'd seen the trailer somewhere and it looked pretty good... kind of like Logan's Run meets... well, something else. Standard omnipresent commercials at the start unfortunately... then one trailer and the movie started.
It does start out quite like Logan's Run... has the same look and feel, so I was interested to see what they did with it. The first 20 minutes is pretty much just establishing the world that Ewan McGregor's character (Lincoln Six Echo) lives in. At this point, they hadn't screwed anything up yet. There's a point in the film where Steve Buschemi's character gets introduced and then the film completely falls apart after that. I liked Buschemi's character but hated the rest of the film as there were huge Saturn 5 rocket launcher holes in the rest of the film.
The person I went with stopped trying to enjoy the film and just tried to figure out what Bay was copying and throwing together in a mish-mash. I read a book when I was a kid called, "When the Star Kings Die" by John Jakes. It was about a imprisoned population whose organs and limbs were being harvested and the revolt that they eventually led. I think that was the basis for this story. Put on top of that a Logan's Run look. Add a bit of Blade Runner chase sequences. Also add Gattaca. There are about 10 other movies that this borrows from but it has no way of connecting these things and so you jump between various scenes and have no transitions, etc. By the way, just because he's borrowing from these films don't think that he did it well... he didn't. Someone just took what they thought were the neat scenes from those movies and put them in here... but without context or any need for them.
spoilers...
Basically, Lincoln Six Echo discovers that it's all a fabrication when he finds a giant moth (or whatever it is) and follows it up to a "hospital level" where he sees that the people going to the Island are actually being killed. There's something about this part that just doesn't feel right... this guy's entire reality is just busted... something about it seemed too quick. Then he gets back into the compound, where there's like a ton of security guys who somehow can't catch him in a pretty confined space... and somehow don't have the means to lock any doors automatically... so basically, the chase scene after the hospital scene completely didn't make sense. Then they're outside (again, huge complex but no way to lock the door apparently) and standing in the middle of the desert. So now they're faced with a huge new reality but we spend no time on that... apparently, they just know what to do. (and where are the guards from the facility??)
There's a scene in a bar after that where Bay is going after very very cheap laughs... really cheap. So that brought the movie down another big notch. Then the bounty hunters are brought in... and somehow they can't catch up... but that doesn't stop Bay from highlighting flashy "men in black helicopters", etc. etc. These are possibly the most inept bounty hunters ever on film. There's NOTHING around that facility..... just dirt and scrub plants... and ONE BAR. Somehow, they never checked the bar.
Ok, then we're in a train station... again, the most inept bounty hunters ever... they know the people are in the train station... they even see them and are closing in... and then, ALL OF A SUDDEN, we're a in a machine shop??? Some industrial shop out in back??? Then, Ewan et al. make it on THE train.... ONE train... "Hmmmmmm, I wonder where they went in a train station with ONE TRAIN that happens to be pulling out right now??", think the bounty hunters to themselves!
Seriously Harry... I've never walked out of a movie... but I just about did right here. This is Batman and Robin bad.
So then they're in L.A. .... keep in mind, these are people that have been described so far as having the maturity of children and have had their reality completely blasted apart and are being presented with new ones every minute. Yet, they turn into 007-capable escape artists. All believability in this story really went out the window as soon as they left their compound.
Anyway... insert various chase scenes here which they obviously spent a lot of money on.... why can't they just take a fraction of that money and give it to some decent... hell, even hack... writers?? I don't really need to tell anyone the rest... it's completely predictable in every way. There's nothing new here... and I usually like these type of stories.
spoiler ends...
So... let's talk product placement. This movie was one huge horrible commercial. The product placement was obvious and way way overblown... let's see... Puma, Microsoft, Xbox, Chrysler, Cadillac, Michelob, Calvin Klein, Ford, MSN Search, etc. etc. and not in small ways that fit in with the movie... it's was seriously like that scene in Wayne's World where they are parodying product placement by having everything come to a complete stop while they just focus on the product... it was literally unbelievable. I started swearing out loud after the 3rd of 4th time and I usually don't say a word when watching movies. Harry.... it was really awful. Seriously.
Usually there are certain directors that attract me... Ridley Scott, Tim Burton, etc. ... I've never had in mind a director that would stop me from going to see a movie. Now I do. I will never see another movie by Michael Bay because now I know what he's all about and it has nothing to do with trying to bring a story to life. It's about exploiting his audience as much as possible while trying to make money from corporate deals. This movie and Michael Bay, I now understand, represent the worst of what Hollywood is about. And they wonder why audience attendance at theaters is down? It's been too many years of being exploited in obvious ways.
I'm actually angry. I wasn't even angry after Batman and Robin, but I am now.
If you use this, call me The Cavalier...
