The Island

The first film of the repulsive megalomaniac after The Rock, which I again enjoyed with all the icing on the cake. I really don't know why I would want to talk about a more serious idea in the case of The Island, which may be interesting at the embryonic stage, but fortunately Bay is obviously afraid of deeper topics - he reduces the island's ant base into crumbly but tolerable dialogues, and after a while the whole plot is reduced to "from whom it is necessary to escape / who needs to be defeated and what needs to be destroyed". No loops, but on the contrary great action fire from all cannons, fast editing, excellent background music, breathtaking effects (especially the scene with train wheels is breathtaking). The island is dominated by a clinically pure image style, a crystal clear and uncomplicated futuristic aesthetic that is as clear and legible as the story of the film. It slides down the neck and does not burden the stomach. I do not mean that in a bad way. Michael Bay is good at all the cliché slow motion, camera flights, etc., and he can do them cleanly and precisely like few others, and The Island operates with the expression of an action film with absolute bravura. The result is two hours, my brain was sweetly turned off and I rode only on a wave of adrenaline, which is not muffled by anything. A great relaxation experience - I of course understand that whoever was waiting for intelligent sci-fi must have been disappointed. But wanting it from Michael is like wanting a circumcision at St. Vitus. Have I ever written that Scarlett Johansson is absolutely GORGEOUS??? (11/01/2007)

I don't like Michael Bay, and after seeing The Island, not much has changed. I've always liked the Bad Boys films, but that's about it. The Island has an interesting idea and that's where it ends. Bay attempted to film something that could be called utopian sci-fi, where the primary focus would be on a socially critical dimension. It mainly works on the action level because that's what Bay enjoys. You can tell. The rest is just a big bubble to stretch the film to over two hours. A good idea chopped up into unbearable long boredom. (01/04/2014)

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. (23/08/2010)

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. (03/09/2005)

When I thought, after the Bad Boys II, that Michael Bay had permanently drowned in his action-comedy affectations, I couldn't have been more wrong. Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman wrote him a script that suited him perfectly and although it's a timid prelude to Transformers, the futuristic romance is worth it. Ewan McGregor excels in a role that could finally elevate him to the absolute top class (but due to the mentioned box office failure, we didn't get to see it this time either), the rest of the actors support him at a distance, but skillfully. Perhaps it could have spent a little less time before the reveal, but the action in the second half lifts the film completely someplace else. (15/02/2006)