I’m a Michael Bay fan. I think. Bay has directed The Rock, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, and the Bad Boys films. Most people probably aren’t Michael Bay fans since most people I know didn’t really like Armageddon or Pearl Harbor. I really enjoyed both of them – enough to have them in my DVD collection. The Rock is another personal favourite and so I had high hopes for The Island. It stars Ewan MacGregor and includes Djimon Hounsou (Gladiator), Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings) and the always-entertaining Steve Buscemi. With so much great-actor-potential I was really hoping this would be another fun addition to my collection. Unfortunately, potential is the only thing this film has and rarely does it manage to live up to that potential.Ewan MacGregor plays Lincoln Six Echo, a member of an apparent utopian society that is fiercely regulated and controlled. Told that he is one of the few survivors of a terrible plague that nearly wiped out mankind, Lincoln Six Echo is confined to a futuristic ‘commune’ where his meals are chosen for him and questions are discouraged. He is told that the last safe place on earth is a paradise island where members of the commune can go if they win the mysterious Lottery. A series of events leads Lincoln to discover the horrible truth about himself and the so-called “Island”.
It’s hard to describe the movie in great detail since much of it would be considered a “surprise”. I think it’s reasonable to assume that most viewers will figure out the overall concept early on, while the movie will fill in minor details toward the end. I had a pretty good idea what the film was about before I saw it and my guesses were accurate. However, I won’t spill the beans just in case you have no clue what is going on and want a little bit of a brain teaser.
Keep in mind that a ‘little bit’ is all you’ll get. While the film is full of great actors and has a fantastic story, it just doesn’t deliver. I don’t know if Michael Bay wanted the viewers to figure out the plot so quickly or if he wanted to keep us in suspense. No knowing that makes it hard to invest in the storyline at all. If it was supposed to be a secret, it was a poorly kept one and disappointed me in how easy it was to discover. If it wasn’t supposed to be a secret, why the lame attempts at secrecy? It’s like the movie isn’t sure where it’s supposed to be and that theme carries on throughout its entirety.
The unfortunate aspect is that due to the nature of the story, the characters are nearly impossible to invest in. Although the characters go through a number of risky action scenes and daring escapes, there was no tension. I just didn’t care about whether the characters survived or not. Not because they were boring or uninteresting, but simply because of who they are. The movie sets itself up in a way that very nearly convinces the audience that the characters are nothing more than props – and easily replaced props at that. In the end, the idea that Lincoln and his friends might die is not as tragic as it should be.Despite the flaws in character and plot development, the action scenes and stunts are top notch. I could almost consider owning this film for the car chase scene alone. Bay went to great lengths to try and recreate the scenes with as little CGI as possible and it’s an effort that doesn’t go unnoticed. The only time I was really involved in watching The Island was during those fantastic stunts. But again, my enjoyment had nothing to do with the characters themselves or with the overall storyline. It was just great special effects and stunt coordination.
A few other high points include some very witty dialogue at certain points, a wonderfully entertaining scene where Lincoln meets his “sponsor” and, of course, Steve Buscemi. Buscemi’s character was the only one I really invested in and I know that has to do with the movie’s plot. It’s really hard to explain exactly why without giving anything away. You’ll just have to watch it to see for yourself.
The Island is presented in a 1.85:1 Anamorphic transfer and everything looks great. I didn’t notice any graininess or blurring. A Dolby Digital 5.1 track is included, but that’s pretty standard on DVDs nowadays. A DTS track would have been nice, especially for the numerous action scenes, but it still sounds good. There is a featurette that goes behind the scenes on many of the movies action scenes and stunts, which I would have been very interested to watch. Sadly I had to return the DVD before I had a chance to see it. Maybe if I found The Island previously-viewed at Blockbuster for less than $10 I would consider owning it for the action scenes alone. On the whole, though, it's just not that impressive.One more observation before I sum up. There is more product placement in this film than I have ever seen before. I understand the reasons for product placement here and there in the production of a film. I realize it reduces costs and often the placement itself isn’t so obvious that it takes away from the movie. In the case of The Island, I almost felt like I was watching a two hour commercial. It was so obvious and blatant that it distracted me even more from an already so-so film. But if you do end up watching it, make a game out of it and see how many products you can count!
Having said all that, I realize that my review is likely to encourage most readers to want to see it just for their own curiosity. I will say that the premise of the film is a great idea, it just doesn’t get fleshed out as well as it could have been. The actors do a good job with what they are given, they just aren’t given all that much. And while the action scenes and stunts are incredible, I just didn’t care whether the main characters survived them or not. In the end, The Island is a film with a great set up, poor execution and an ultimate let down. Then again, I’ve never put much stock in film critics so there’s a chance you might really enjoy it. Stranger things have happened.
The Island gets 6 plain, white jumpsuits (out of 10).
You’ve won the Lottery! Click here for ‘The Island’ trivia!
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