Review of The Island (2006) by Darrin C — 20 Jan 2015

The island has a clever premise that raises an intriguing question: is it ethical to clone ourselves for survival? Unfortunately, the question is far more interesting than the film itself. The island actually begins quite promisingly.

People are segregated by their clothes and supposedly unable to feel curiosity or complex emotions. The raffle was also a witty idea. The plot further thickens when the protagonist discovers what happens to people when they go to the island.

It is truly entertaining. And, then they realise that they have been lied to, there is no island, and escape to the outside world. And, presumably, the film takes a dive into the pits to which it can never return; a pointless, derivative action mess.

The protagonists attempt things that normal people could only dream about, and they've only been here for 60 mins. By the end, no one cares. The plot has no direction and the characters are underdeveloped.

The threads left hanging offer nothing in terms of mystery and dont gravitate the film to higher levels of engagement. Specifically, Johansson's character never meets the person who she was cloned from, which mr bay actually provided an emotional backstory for.

The characters offer only one dimensional emotions that makes it, frankly, purposeless. Its like watching the worlds biggest trainwreck happen on your very screen; depressing. To sum up mr bay's film, its almost watchable.

But also extremely saddening. Just like hindenberg.