The Island (2005)
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Two human clones living in a dystopian compound must escape and expose the truth of their existence after discovering they are being used for organ harvesting.
The story
In 2019, Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta live in a dystopian community governed by strict rules, where they are told the outside world is too contaminated to support life except for a single, pristine island. Residents are told they can win a lottery to live on this island. However, Lincoln begins experiencing strange dreams and discovers a live moth, leading him to realize the outside world is not actually uninhabitable. He eventually discovers that the 'lottery' is a sinister system to provide organs and surrogacy for wealthy humans. When Jordan is selected for the island, the two decide to escape the facility to uncover the truth and expose the illegal cloning operation.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2019, Lincoln Six Echo and Jordan Two Delta live in a controlled compound where they are told the outside world is toxic, except for a single 'safe' island. Lincoln discovers that the 'lottery' to go to the island is actually a method to harvest organs from clones for wealthy sponsors. After escaping the facility with Jordan, they are pursued by mercenaries hired by Dr. Merrick. They encounter James McCord, who reveals the truth about the clones' existence. They travel to Los Angeles and New York, where they encounter the sponsors of the clones. Lincoln eventually assumes the identity of his sponsor, Tom, after a series of betrayals and a chase through Los Angeles. He and Jordan eventually return to the compound to liberate the other clones. After a final confrontation where Lincoln kills Merrick, the clones are freed and see the outside world for the first time. The film ends with Lincoln and Jordan sailing toward a real island together.
- First release year
- 2005
- Runtime (minutes)
- 136
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Michael Bay
- Writers
- Caspian Tredwell-Owen · screenplay; Alex Kurtzman · screenplay; Roberto Orci · screenplay; Caspian Tredwell-Owen · story
- Cast and characters
- Ewan McGregor · Lincoln Six Echo; Scarlett Johansson · Jordan Two Delta; Djimon Hounsou; Sean Bean; Michael Clarke Duncan; Steve Buscemi
- Genres
- science fiction; action
- Themes
- Identity; Dehumanization; Corporate Greed; Freedom
- Tone and mood
- Dystopian; Action-packed; Suspenseful
- Setting
- A dystopian compound and the surrounding world in 2019.
- Premise and plot tags
- Cloning; Escape; Conspiracy
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising the performances and others criticizing the excessive action and product placement. It was considered a box office bomb in the United States due to a poorly executed marketing campaign.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 39% · scale: percentage · review count: 201; Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Production trivia
- The film is described as a pastiche of 1960s and 1970s science fiction films.; The original script was set 100 years in the future and featured a pregnant character.; The film was the first of many collaborations between Spielberg, Bay, Kurtzman, and Orci.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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