Island (DVD)

Synopsis
In this action thriller from director Michael Bay ('Pearl Harbour', 'Armageddon'), survivors of global contamination live in a sterile, self-contained world where their every move is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, refrain from asking questions, and don't rock the boat. Everything they need is provided for them, from the white uniforms that magically appear in their closets, to their customized cafeteria-style meals. The survivors all eagerly await their big payoff: winning the lottery and being sent to The Island, the only remaining untainted land in the world. But Lincoln Six-Echo (Ewan McGregor) yearns for more from his life and begins to wonder what really lies outside the thick walls. When his best friend, Jordan Two-Delta (Scarlett Johansson), wins the lottery, he knows that he has to find out the truth about their world before she departs. What he finds is terrifying enough to send Lincoln and Jordan fleeing from the facility to the real world where they quickly discover that they are clones, and that both The Island and global contamination are a ruse. The clones sole purpose is to be harvested for replacement parts when their sponsors need them.With his business now in jeopardy, Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean), the founder of the cloning company, hires a crack team led by Albert Laurent (Djimon Hounsou) to track down his escaped product. Wild chase scenes through Los Angeles circa 2050 are punctuated by high-tech transportation as Lincoln and Jordan run for their lives and try to assimilate into a world that is completely foreign to them. The futuristic set design and visual effects are particularly impressive. McGregor and Johansson both expertly communicate the human element and desire for life that has developed in the two clones, while still finding humour and awe in their childlike naivety.


Review
I am surprised this didn't do better at the cinema, starring two great main actors with a strong supporting cast as well this is a good action film with a good twist! I saw the film knowing nothing about the storyline, it's set in the future in a space age facility on earth protecting the last few survivors from the deadly contaminated atmosphere outside. Their lives from diet, clothes, jobs are all set out for them as they live an almost brainwashed existence. The only highlight is winning the lottery where you get to go to the island, a paradise and only safe place to exist out of the main complex. However Ewan McGregors character starts to ask questions about their way of life!!
This is a slow film to start of with but the second half more than makes up for this with some great chase scenes using some futuristic style vehicles! If you like a film with a good twist or great big budget action scenes, or a fan of Scarlett Johasson you'll love this! 8/10

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