The Island

In this action thriller from director Michael Bay (PEARL HARBOR, ARMAGEDDON), survivors of global contamination live in a sterile, self-contained world where their every move is monitored. The rules are easy: be pleasant, refrain from asking questions, and don't rock the boat. Everything they need is provided for them, from the white uniforms that magically appear in their closets, to their customized cafeteria-style meals. The survivors all eagerly await their big payoff: winning the lottery and being sent to The Island, the only remaining untainted land in the world. But Lincoln Six-Echo (Ewan McGregor) yearns for more from his life and begins to wonder what really lies outside the thick walls. When his best friend, Jordan Two-Delta (Scarlett Johansson), wins the lottery, he knows that he has to find out the truth about their world before she departs. What he finds is terrifying enough to send Lincoln and Jordan fleeing from the facility to the real world where they quickly discover that they are clones, and that both The Island and global contamination are a ruse. The clones sole purpose is to be harvested for replacement parts when their sponsors need them. With his business now in jeopardy, Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean), the founder of the cloning company, hires a crack team led by Albert Laurent (Djimon Hounsou) to track down his escaped product. Wild chase scenes through Los Angeles circa 2050 are punctuated by high-tech transportation as Lincoln and Jordan run for their lives and try to assimilate into a world that is completely foreign to them. The futuristic set design and visual effects are particularly impressive. McGregor and Johansson both expertly communicate the human element and desire for life that has developed in the two clones, while still finding humour and awe in their childlike naivety.