Movie Review: The Island
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that the movie features explosions,
fights, and vehicle chases. Characters drink, smoke, fight, and
kill one another. Several scenes show clones in various
unfinished states (incubating in sacks and on tables); others
show organs harvested (surgery) and a baby harvested (the
mother is killed after giving birth). While the protagonists'
social naiveté and first grade reading skills make them
seem childish, they are definitely adult in their sexual
interests and fighting abilities. Characters and background
images make frequent references to commercial products
(including MSN, Puma, XBox, Aquafina, Cadillac, Ben &
Jerry's).
Families might discuss the film's important ethical and philosophical questions concerning clones and organ harvesting: When do clones become individuals? Who can afford to purchase clones or organs, and how does this create a hierarchy of health, longevity, and cultural power? Does the fact that technology exists justify or compel its use? Families might also talk about how the film reduces resolutions for such dilemmas by broadly outlining villains and heroes, stereotypical relationships, and high-powered, plainly expensive action sequences.
Common Sense Media Review
Loud, fast, and fulsome, this action movie actually spends a
few minutes pondering ethical questions. But just a few. For
the most part, THE ISLAND is simplistic science fiction,
pitting very athletic, very attractive heroes on the run
against plainly despicable corporate villains.
It's 2019, and Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) is disturbed by nightmares that run counter to his conditioned belief that the "island" is a paradise, the last unscathed location in a post-apocalyptic world. For the moment, he and his best friend Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson) live among similarly white-jumpsuited folks, all patiently enduring regimented lives at a facility run by Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean, whose snide performance tips you off immediately that he's the villain), until they are "chosen" to leave for the island.
It's not long before Lincoln discovers that his dreams have a basis in reality, at least, a reality that might exist in a Michael Bay movie. (This is not a spoiler if you've seen the film's trailer on TV.) He's being haunted by "genetic memories," because he and his community are all clones, paid for by wealthy people (politicians, businessmen, sports and entertainment stars) who plan to use the clones' organs, genes, and even wombs in order to prolong or enhance their own, "original" lives.
Helped by engineering, non-clone friend McCord (Steve Buscemi), Lincoln and Jordan learn the world has not been destroyed, escape the facility, and head to Los Angeles, via futuristic trains, cars, and helicopters, so the film can indulge in all manner of special-effected vehicular mayhem. Merrick hires a mercenary crew to hunt them down, led by former Special Forces soldier Albert Laurent (Djimon Hounsou), who has a particular, historically motivated understanding of breeding people for money. The other visible black man is a football star (Michael Clarke Duncan), or rather, his clone, whose vigorous resistance to harvesting surgery initially reveals the truth to an understandably horrified Lincoln.
Most of the film, however, is given over to the pretty white clones' multi-faceted education -- in running, spending money, driving, and soft-focus kissing.
Families who like this movie will enjoy the many movies from which it borrows ideas and images, including THX-1138, Blade Runner, Soylent Green, Coma, A.I., and The Matrix. Families might also want to look at other cloning movies (for instance, Jurassic Park) or the TV series Dark Angel(available on DVD), starring Jessica Alba and featuring genetically engineered humans who revolt against their makers.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
