The Island

It's a rare for a young director to score high on making his second movie, especially if the first one was successful. Unfortunately, this is the case with «The Island». As much as Kamen Kalev's debut, «Eastern Plays», was emotionally intense, is this one empty and abstract. Daneel, the main character, remained almost as vague and distant to me at the end as he was in the beginning which was promising to take us on an inner journey of emptying his mind and filling his heart. There was some attempt of conflict between him and his girlfriend but it was cut in its beginning and did not develop at all.

Laetitia Casta seems to have been chosen for the lead female role based on her prominence as a model and beautiful body, not dramatic skills. Her emotional range was limited to either a seductive look or sullen temper.