The Island **
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Honusou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, Ethan Phillips
Director: Michael Bay
Running Length: 2:18
MPAA Classification: PG-13

Lincoln Six Echo (McGregor) and Jordan Two Delta (Johansson) are workers in a recovering society. They mindlessly go about their tasks for the greater good. All this is necessary because they have been told that they are all that remains from an event that contaminated the Earth. They are two of a few thousand that live in the compound. All have a dream of winning a daily lottery that would give them a trip to The Island, "nature's last remaining pathogen-free zone."
Lincoln begins to think that The Island is not what it seems, and when his best friend Delta wins the lottery, he wisks her away to find out the secret. Aided by a technician named McCord (Buscemi), they soon find themselves on the run from a mercenary named Laurent (Hounsou) who was hired by Merrick (Bean),the doctor that runs the compound.

"The Island" takes an interesting idea, and executes it poorly. Directed by Jerry Bruckheimer's long-time lackey, Michael Bay, this feels like a Bruckheimer production despite him having nothing to do with the film. Bay has Bruckheimer's style down pat, and the less movies made in this fashion, the better. An interesting idea is lost amongst the action and special effects. Sure the effects are good, especially a later scene in the movie where McGregor gets to act against himself, but effects alone do not make a movie. Bay brings the mindless moviemaking that he is known for, and that is what makes the movie less than it could be.

Bay has gone on record saying that perhaps the fault of the movie's dismal opening is due to the lack of star power in McGregor and Johansson, but they are solid actors doing the best they can with what they were given. Buscemi is his usual quirky self as McCord, providing some chuckles. Bean and Hounsou fill the roles of bad guys adequately.

Another large problem with the movie is that what should be a main plot twist is given away in most of the previews. I'm sure that this is meant to make the movie seem more interesting, but when seeing the movie, this revelation lacks any punch. The previews for "The Island" are prime examples of what not to do when promoting a movie.

In the end, fans of Bruckheimer-style movies will probably be satisfied. Those looking for a little more than an interesting idea that is dumbed down for the sake of action and effects will be disappointed.