Island, The (2005)

2.5 out of 4

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

Director: Michael Bay

Time: 127 mins

Viewed: Mega Movies at Brunswick Square, East Brunswick, New Jersey

A Michael Bay film with ideas? Who'd have thought? The master of the super-quick edit (The Rock, Pearl Harbour, and the Bad Boys films) tackles sci-fi, set in the not-too-distant future, about an evil mega-corporation (headed by Bean) that creates clones as spare parts for the rich. The problem is, what happens when those clones (including McGregor and Johansson) turn inquisitive and escape? The hunt is on. Interesting premise features plenty of the expected Bay action pyrotechnics, including a car chase he pilfered from his own Bad Boys 2 (involving heavy objects released from the back of a truck and smashing into pursuing vehicles), but the film is about 30 minutes overlong, with an ending that is surprisingly flat. Buscemi provides his usual scene-stealing turn.

(c) Joe Wong (26 July 2005)