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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Community   » Film Handlers' Movie Reviews   » The Island (Page 1)

 
This topic comprises 3 pages: 1  2  3 
 
Author Topic: The Island
Greg Routenburg
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 178
From: Toronto, ON, Canada
Registered: May 2003


 - posted 07-22-2005 04:19 AM      Profile for Greg Routenburg   Email Greg Routenburg   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This film has all the makings of a great film and in my opinion is the best film of the summer so far. The characters have an incredible amount of depth and the story was brilliantly written even though some of the action scenes are a little over the top and unbelievable. It's hard to believe that you're watching a film that's exploring the vast depths and moral implications of cloning while literally being held to the edge of your seat by the action and suspense of the plot. Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansen were perfectly cast for the leading roles portraying a sense of innocense that's befitting of a child and allowing their characters to realistically discover everything they encounter in the outside world for the first time. I was also very impressed with the directors use of color with specific emphesis being placed on the vividness of people's eyes, the doorways to the soul. This movie has everything to offer a perspective movie goer. You have some nice action mixed with fantastic drama, a splash of suspense and finally a hint of romance all wrapped around an idea that will leave you thinking for a little while after you leave the theatre. All in all, a very worth while 2 and a half hours. A must see movie this year. [thumbsup]

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Darryl Spicer
Film God

Posts: 3250
From: Lexington, KY, USA
Registered: Dec 2000


 - posted 07-22-2005 04:35 AM      Profile for Darryl Spicer     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Can anyone say that this was a mixture of Logans Run and that Arnold movie Sixth Day I think it was called with a heaping helping of bang. Along with the anoying quick cuts, although not as bad as some of Bays earlier films, that only belong in rock videos. This movie was only entertaing for so long then it became down right predictable. I give it ** out of four stars.

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R. Andrew Diercks
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 232
From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere)
Registered: May 2003


 - posted 07-22-2005 09:36 AM      Profile for R. Andrew Diercks   Email R. Andrew Diercks   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I must admit I enjoyed the film, but what the hell was up with the trains running above ground yet none of the cars were newer than 2004. Does nobody drive new cars in 2019?!

BTW, did anyone else notice the unintentional innuendo with the lovely montage shot of the two dome buildings or am I just sick?

Overall *** of 5

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Richard Greco
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1180
From: Plant City, FL
Registered: Nov 2003


 - posted 07-22-2005 09:41 AM      Profile for Richard Greco   Email Richard Greco   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What's the Greco factor? Scarlett is HOT!!!

She is also actually legal too!!

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Bill Gabel
Film God

Posts: 3873
From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 07-22-2005 09:54 AM      Profile for Bill Gabel   Email Bill Gabel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Darryl Spicer
Can anyone say that this was a mixture of Logans Run and that Arnold movie Sixth Day
And Coma and Matrix and a little of Brazil too.

Nothing new with this one. ** out of 5.

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Darren Crimmins
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 130
From: Dallas, TX, USA
Registered: Jan 2002


 - posted 07-22-2005 07:04 PM      Profile for Darren Crimmins   Email Darren Crimmins   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Doesn't the Greco factor get thrown out the window when everybody in the movie is legal? [Wink]

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Richard Greco
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1180
From: Plant City, FL
Registered: Nov 2003


 - posted 07-23-2005 01:57 AM      Profile for Richard Greco   Email Richard Greco   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
For my review, see Greg's review. It was freaking AWESOME!!! Absolutely will see again. Scarlett of course is amazing!!

5/5 with this one.

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: California, U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2004


 - posted 07-23-2005 02:18 AM      Profile for Dominic Espinosa   Email Dominic Espinosa   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I loved it!
Michael Bays direction is right on par with his other films, Rock, Armageddon, etc.
Every scene accentuates the story telling and he tells that story, damn the running time! His films are always long, but usually good.

Now, about the movie...The concept isn't totally new however it's a bit chilling because it's completely believable.
The possibillity of such a thing isn't that far off.
I loved it.
There was one scene at the end that I do question the quality of the CGI about, you'll se it and jump out of your seat.
Guaranteed.
4/5 - best of the summer action flicks.

By the way, Scarlet is good lookin' but her head is weird and round...

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-24-2005 02:12 AM      Profile for Ian Price   Email Ian Price   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Nice bit o' destruction. I especially like the bit with the train wheels. They must been hauling them to the junk yard seeings as Amtrak was Mag Lev. Congress must have given Amtrak funding. Chrysler seems to still be doing well in 2019. Think the 300 needs a redesign after 15-years. Good to see they seem to have switched to Hydrogen or Electric propulsion.

Well sometimes copying themes from other films and books is a good thing. After all Scarlet Johansen is too young to remember Logan's Run.

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: California, U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2004


 - posted 07-24-2005 02:02 PM      Profile for Dominic Espinosa   Email Dominic Espinosa   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: Ian Price
I especially like the bit with the train wheels. They must been hauling them to the junk yard seeings as Amtrak was Mag Lev.
That was a great scene...I was kind of thrown by that as well.

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Sam Graham
AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues.

Posts: 1431
From: Waukee, IA
Registered: Dec 2004


 - posted 07-24-2005 05:17 PM      Profile for Sam Graham   Author's Homepage   Email Sam Graham   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
quote: R Andrew Diercks
BTW, did anyone else notice the unintentional innuendo with the lovely montage shot of the two dome buildings or am I just sick?
I have the same problem with the old twin Cinedome 70 in Ogden, Utah, which I would love to re-open someday as an art house called "Cineboobs".

=====

CINEMA: Century 20 at Jordan Creek, West Des Moines, IA
AUDITORIUM: 1
PRESENTATION: Dolby Digital/THX
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: Jeepers it's stuffy in here!
RATING: Two and one half stars (out of four)

WARNING: Extreme spoilers. Stop complaining...It's a Michael Bay movie, so it's not like there's anything original anyway.

SIGN YOUR LOCAL MULTIPLEX DOESN'T HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THE WEEK'S RELEASES: When they leave last week's releases (one of which is "Wedding Crashers") in the big auditoriums and toss "The Island" into Auditoriums 1 and 3.

Michael Bay is becoming the modern-day king of stylish cheesy remakes, and this one is no exception aside from not bothering to give credit this time. Basically, this is a take on 1979's "The Clonus Horror", a film featured on "Mystery Science Theater 3000".

Bay's version is a three-act feature that borrows from Stepford Wives-like mind dramas, every action movie ever made, and Architecture Digest. A number of the interiors are modern concrete/steel construction popular in the late 70's. There's actually some pretty neat rooms in this film. That trick with the big window where you can press a button and it automatically clouds up...Somebody should market that, even if it didn't make a wavy effect.

Act 1 begins with humans regulated to a sterile environment where their diet and lifestyle are closely regulated in an overglorified Habitrail after some sort of armageddon or something. This is the dream world of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The last available breath of fresh air is an island which survivors get to go to if they win the lottery.

Act 2 begins with the escape and a fish-out-of-water storyline that is filled with some excellent action scenes in futuristic Los Angeles, which is basically Los Angeles of today except there's apparently only two car makers left on the planet and it's become extremely fashionable to have your ride tricked out at the Mad Max Aftermarket tuner shop. Act 2 gets so far away from Act 1 that there are a couple of times where they throw in a token reminder about that whole "Island" deal, and you legitimately go "Oh yeah! The Island." But the action scenes are really cool.

You won't notice all that much about the third act because you will be drained from the second act, which could have ended perfectly on its own. So you'll be preoccupied with wishing for the movie to end already. The ending makes little sense anyway...Why are the clones all running outside? They spent their (short) lives being taught this will kill them. Nobody has told them otherwise. They should have freaked out and headed as far inside as they could.

No, I didn't even think about the train wheels.

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-24-2005 06:59 PM      Profile for Ian Price   Email Ian Price   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hey, who also like the shrink's computer desk? I thought that was a fine bit of imagineering. It seemed like a good way to work, very intuitive.

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Christian Volpi
Master Film Handler

Posts: 349
From: Arlington, NE
Registered: Apr 2004


 - posted 07-24-2005 11:26 PM      Profile for Christian Volpi   Author's Homepage   Email Christian Volpi   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I thought it was crap...oh, well. It's not like I paid to watch it.

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Jamie Glossop
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 100
From: Nottingham Uk
Registered: Jan 2004


 - posted 07-25-2005 03:42 AM      Profile for Jamie Glossop   Author's Homepage   Email Jamie Glossop   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I just saw the trailer because it isnt out here yet [Frown] , But it looked great, Looking forward to seeing it, Is it wide screen or cinema scope ?

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999


 - posted 07-25-2005 04:57 AM      Profile for Aaron Sisemore   Email Aaron Sisemore   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Scope.

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