The Island (2005)

Director:

Michael Bay

Writers (WGA):

Caspian Tredwell-Owen (screenplay) and
Alex Kurtzman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Your time will come...

Plot:

A man goes on the run after he discovers that he is actually a "harvested being", and is being kept along with others in a utopian facility.

Plot Keywords:

Environment | Clone | Lottery | Escape | Shootout

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Lincoln Six Echo / Tom Lincoln
Scarlett Johansson	...	Jordan Two Delta / Sarah Jordan
Djimon Hounsou	...	Albert Laurent
Sean Bean	...	Dr. Merrick
Steve Buscemi	...	James McCord
Michael Clarke Duncan	...	Starkweather Two Delta
Ethan Phillips	...	Jones Three Echo
Brian Stepanek	...	Gandu Three Echo
Noa Tishby	...	Community Announcer
Siobhan Flynn	...	Lima One Alpha
Troy Blendell	...	Laurent Team Member
Jamie McBride	...	Laurent Team Member
Kevin McCorkle	...	Laurent Team Member
Gary Nickens	...	Laurent Team Member
Kathleen Rose Perkins	...	Laurent Team Member

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexuality and language.

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:PG-12 | Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #41894) | France:U (with warning) | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Finland:K-15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Germany:16 | Canada:G (Quebec) | UK:12A | Ireland:12A | Norway:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | Denmark:11 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Peru:14 | Czech Republic:12

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The turtle-shaped car in Tom Lincoln's display case is a model of John Cobb's "Railton-Mobil Special", which broke the World Land Speed Record three times in 1938, 1939 and 1947. The latter record stood for nearly 16 years, when it was broken by Craig Breedlove's "Spirit of America" jet car. Subsequent piston-engined cars have only pushed up the record by 11 m.p.h.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Merrick's colleague gives him the results of Lincoln's brain scans, you can clearly see that the "panel" pictures are projected via static LCD beamers.

Quotes:

[first lines]
God-Like Man: You're special. You have a very special purpose in life. You've been chosen. The Island awaits you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Future in Action (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Exciting and intense

I got to see an advance screening of "The Island" on 7/12, and I definitely enjoyed it. Although trailers and plot summaries gave away a lot of the story, I was still surprised by its intensity. An early scene involving two of the lottery winners continues to haunt me, as does a later discussion of what it means to be branded "less than human". The action sequences had me gripping the arms of my chair. I thought Jordan and Lincoln's innocence was very well-done and appropriate for the life they had led. Parts of "The Island" reminded me of "Brave New World", other parts were similar to "Logan's Run" and I was even reminded in a small way of "The Matrix" - but none of the similarities seemed like cheap imitations, more like an expansion of an older theme. Overall it was a very good movie. I can't wait to see it again when it's released on the 22nd!