The Island

Gorgeous Bruckheimer-style camera filters, swooping shots, and overhead views – basically everything that Michael Bay can offer us. The Island is visually stunning, full of gloss, light, and thrilling action. At the same time, it is philosophically and narratively the most sophisticated film by this creator. (09/02/2005)

A weaker 4 stars. Definitely not because Bay made a swashbuckling actioner out of stuff someone else would have made Blade Runner out of -). More because I kind of got lost in it at times, and if the camera had stayed still for a moment I wouldn't have minded at all. Otherwise, probably the most logical lapses I've seen recently. (10/01/2009)

For me, Michael Bay's best film, which is just short of perfection. It's a great blend of sci-fi, drama and action, all spiced up with a touch of romance. It's all accompanied by an incredible soundtrack, composed by the until recently unknown to me Steve Jablonsky. The plot was absolutely meticulously thought out and I didn't get lost at all. The visual effects were carefully done and convincing. In short, this a very good film with an original and unorthodox theme, it could have benefited from a shorter running time, but even that was bearable. (08/22/2010)

For someone who has seen Logan's Run, The Island is a completely pointless affair. Even though the story does go in a different direction in the second half and the whole thing seems to be just a bastardized take on Equilibrium. But I realize that it may not be that much of a big deal for fans of McGregor, Johansson, or Bay. (11/06/2011)

Bay’s attempt at making a different type of movie than he usually does stopped somewhere half-way along the route. In the end, the initially intriguingly developing screenplay proves to be the weakest aspect of this movie. Despite the fact that something is always going on in this picture and despite the frantic editing, paradoxically this seems to lack pace. But even so, thanks to an excellent McGregor and the precise technical aspects, this is an above-average picture which is definitely more endearing than Bay’s previous movies, but unfortunately it isn’t one of his best. (09/05/2005)