The Island – It Had Potential

I was very excited to view The Island, but I was also apprehensive. The big name stars and director and interesting story, but yet major box office failure. Failure at the box office usually means one of two things: the movie was bad or no one got it. I was hoping The Island was the latter.

The film begins with an amazing concept, the harvesting of clones for body parts. That alone peaked my interest, and the beginning of the film certainly held my attention. The imagined world of the clones reminded me of every futuristic film I have ever watched (notice the nice outfits that resemble Logan’s Run). As the story progressed, I was certainly feeling that the film has just gotten a bad rap. Ewan and Scarlett truly made me feel that childlike euphoria of being a clone, while also creating a link between their curiosity and my own.

Then, the film begins to fall apart piece by piece. I think the most troubling aspect was that the film’s premise is sound, Philip K. Dick ventured into this type of humanitarian question many times. For example, in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (and the move Blade Runner) we are always left questioning the possibilities. Even when the story ends, Deckard remains a symbol of the unending scientific problem of the recreation of life. The Island never pushes the question. Yes we have a conspiracy dealing with the harvesting of clones that are living organisms as opposed to static organ pods, but it is never fully explored. Instead we are left with a chase film that ends with clones running through the hillside singing “Born Free” (okay perhaps that aren’t singing, but they should be).

Overall, I enjoyed the action aspect of the film, it was very much in the vein of The Fugitive and other “running from the law” films. I especially like the interaction between the human Ewan and the clone, but here again there was potential. Each place where significant exploration of themes was possible, the outcome is simply a plot device. So our big question could have been, “Why does Lincoln Six Echo feel the need to rescue the clones?” I was hoping for the uncovering of the whole company, a political exposure, and then a whole world confronting major life changing debate over the rights of clones…and then they sailed into the sunset. Everything was wrapped up in a nice neat little package. I kept thinking, what if Jordan Two Delta confronted her own host, and was forced to decide between her existence and her host’s? What if the President found out they were killing his clone, or even that his clone was alive compared to being in stasis? Again, the film remains a sci-fi action fest, rather than life questioning. I am all for is Deckard a replicant, not Keystone Clones.

The acting is another area to make note of because both Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor get a bad rap. I thought that as clones, they really did a great job at making the audience understand their plight. I also found that Ewan captured the desperation of John Lincoln in his fight for life. Truly, what would you do if you confronted your insurance policy? I would probably act just like Tom Lincoln.

Overall, I enjoyed the film for what it was, a sci-fi action film. Anything beyond that, and the film only could have been grand. I am still waiting for the Blade Runner of the clones, and the questions of humanity that go along with it.

Wired discusses the origins of The Island

I just wanted to add a few pictures of Scarlett from the film.