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Movies / On DVD / The Island
The Island

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The Island (2005)

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Reviews Counted:180

Fresh:72

Rotten:108

Average Rating:5.4/10

Consensus: A clone of THX 1183, Coma, and Logan's Run, The Island is another loud and bombastic Michael Bay movie where explosions and chases matter more than characters, dialogue, or plot.

Runtime: 2 hrs 16 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: Michael Bay ("Armageddon," "Pearl Harbor") directs the futuristic action thriller "The Island," starring Ewan McGregor ("Star Wars: Episodes I, II & III," "Moulin Rouge!") and Scarlett Johansson... Michael Bay ("Armageddon," "Pearl Harbor") directs the futuristic action thriller "The Island," starring Ewan McGregor ("Star Wars: Episodes I, II & III," "Moulin Rouge!") and Scarlett Johansson ("Lost in Translation," "Girl With a Pearl Earring"). Lincoln Six-Echo (McGregor) is a resident of a seemingly utopian but contained facility in the mid-21st century. Like all of the inhabitants of this carefully controlled environment, Lincoln hopes to be chosen to go to the "The Island"—reportedly the last uncontaminated spot on the planet—until he makes a terrible discovery that everything about his existence is a lie…and that he is actually more valuable dead than alive. Together with a beautiful fellow resident named Jordan Two-Delta (Johansson), Lincoln makes a daring escape to the outside world he's never known. Now, with the forces of the institute that once housed them relentlessly hunting them down, Lincoln and Jordan engage in a desperate race for their lives. Rounding out the main cast of "The Island" are Oscar® nominee Djimon Hounsou ("In America," "Gladiator") as the leader of the security team pursuing Lincoln and Jordan; Sean Bean ("National Treasure," "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) as the head of the Institute; Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World," "Armageddon") as a man who befriends Lincoln despite working for the institute; and Oscar® nominee Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Green Mile," "Armageddon") as another resident who is elated and envied when he is selected to go to "The Island." Michael Bay directed "The Island" from a screenplay by Caspian Tredwell-Owen and Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci, based on a story by Tredwell-Owen. Walter F. Parkes, Michael Bay and Ian Bryce produced the film, with Laurie MacDonald serving as executive producer. "The Island" is a co-production of DreamWorks Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures, with DreamWorks distributing the film domestically and Warner Bros. handling the international release. -- © Dreamworks [More]

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Ewan McGregor, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Ewan McGregor, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan

Director: Michael Bay

Director: Michael Bay
Screenwriter: Robert Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Caspian Tredwell-Owen
Story: Caspian Tredwell-Owen
Producer: Walter F. Parkes, Michael Bay, Ian Bryce, Laurie MacDonald
Studio: DreamWorks Distribution LLC

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Reviews for The Island

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1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
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[T]here's plenty to enjoy in the more intimate, character-based moments, if you can cope with the relentlessly overblown action that surrounds them.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
08/09/05
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
08/13/05
David Edwards
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/07/06
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Unapologetically action-oriented but it has a passionate subtext too - this Michael Bay's take on every sci-fi movie ever made.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
08/07/05
Joe Utichi
Joe Utichi
FilmFocus

An intelligent, provocative premise wrapped in a bone-chillingly stupid action movie.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
07/28/05
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It’s extremely well acted by McGregor and Johansson, both of whom bring more to their roles than the script really deserves.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
08/13/05
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

.

Full Review Source: 3BlackChicks Review | comment Comment
08/18/05
Kamal  'The Diva' Larsuel
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel
3BlackChicks Review

Instead of a movie, he’s delivered a beer commercial version of Logan’s Run for the lobotomized.

Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | comment Comment
07/22/05
Kevin Carr
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures

I really hoped The Island would be Michael Bay's second best movie. In actuality, it's only his third best.

Full Review Source: About.com | comment Comment
07/21/05
Fred Topel
Fred Topel
About.com

Michael Bay’s The Island is actually two films with vastly different styles struggling for possession of the screen.

Full Review Source: About.com | comment Comment
07/24/05
Rebecca Murray
Rebecca Murray
About.com

The Island is more than the usual Michael Bay action fest. Beyond the mayhem, there's a timely theme, strapping performances and even jokes.

Full Review Source: Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA) | comment Comment
07/22/05
John Wirt
John Wirt
Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

The movie’s first part works as provocative sci-fi, and the second part works as mindless action mayhem, but the two parts never manage to find a satisfactory coexistence.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
07/27/05
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

Most directors use scripts, but Michael Bay shuffles a deck of cards suited EXPLOSION, CAR CHASE, FIGHT and SEX SCENE.

Full Review Source: Arizona Daily Star | comment Comment
07/21/05
Phil Villarreal
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star

A high-concept movie that director Michael Bay turns into Bad Boys III: Send in the Clones.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
07/21/05
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic

At its best, The Island is like a Michael Crichton movie without Michael Crichton's smarts.

Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | comment Comment
07/21/05
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Island is eventually slammed with a Michael Bay tsunami, a wave of action sequences that are so preposterous they drown the excellent premise ...

Full Review Source: Atlantic City Weekly | comment Comment
07/28/05
Lori Hoffman
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly

If you like Maxim, you will love The Island.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
07/25/05
Marrit Ingman
Marrit Ingman
Austin Chronicle
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
09/26/05
AV Club
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

If you’re gonna sell your soul in Hollywood, The Island is about as good as it gets

Full Review Source: Bangitout.com | comment Comment
07/26/05
Jordan Hiller
Jordan Hiller
Bangitout.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
all

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