Jul 22, 2005 4:37 pm US/Central
The Island
Roeper's Review: Rent It.
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
"The Island" stars Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson, but it's directed by Michael Bay, who did "Armaggedon" and "Pearl Harbor" -- so you know the real star of the movie is going to be the guy with the explosives.
"The Island" is one of those science fiction chillers set in the near future, where everybody wears neutral tones and Big Brother is watching you. How come nobody makes a movie about a happy future with bright colors and peace on Earth?
All the survivors of a worldwide contamination are sealed in a gigantic underground city. To director Michael Bay's credit, the sets and the computer generated effects are pretty stunning. And the first half of the movie is disturbing and deeply intriguing. We have no idea what's going on, but we know something is very, very wrong with this place.
But once the secret of "The Island" is revealed, Bay abandons the story in favor of endless chase sequences. Here you have two of our most charismatic, attractive actors, and they're reduced to yelling "Go, go, go!" while running away from bad guys and explosions.
"The Island" is rated PG-13 for all that action and some mild sexuality. The first 45 minutes are thrilling; the rest is just loud and predictable. You can wait to Rent It.
(© MMV, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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