The Island (2005)

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General		Extras
Category	Action	Trailer-Batman Begins Main Menu Introduction Main Menu Audio & Animation Featurette-Making Of DVD-ROM Extras
Rating
Year Of Production	2005
Running Time	130:25
RSDL / Flipper	RSDL (59:32)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Michael Bay
Studio Distributor	Warner Home Video	Starring	Ewan McGregor Scarlett Johansson Djimon Hounsou Sean Bean Steve Buscemi Michael Clarke Duncan Ethan Phillips Brian Stepanek Noa Tishby Siobhan Flynn Troy Blendell Jamie McBride Kevin McCorkle
Case	?
RPI	$34.95	Music	Ramin Djawadi Clay Duncan Steve Jablonsky

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.40:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English English for the Hearing Impaired	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	Yes, I understand it was required as budget blew out
		Action In or After Credits	No

    Michael Bay's The Island is a fusion of intelligent, character-driven Sci-Fi and the usual Michael Bay over-the-top, loud, adrenaline-charged action film, with plenty of car chases and explosions. It's a movie of two very distinct halves, and when it changes gear midway, the action is fast-paced and relentless.

    Written by Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, the story is set in 2019. A few thousand people have apparently survived a worldwide contamination, and live a very sheltered life within an oppressive and totalitarian society, housed within a massive, albeit completely antiseptic, underground facility.

    The facility is industrial and lifeless - concrete, glass and steel. The inhabitants live highly ordered lives, but they all dream of winning a lottery, which entitles that person to leave the shelter and move to the last unspoilt place on earth, a large tropical island described as "the Earth's only pathogen-free zone."

    The antiseptic environment is further enhanced by the citizens of this world all wearing largely identical white jumpsuits, which de-personalizes and de-sexualizes them. Kept apart, and treated largely like children, the inhabitants are watched closely through electronic surveillance, and by many watchful eyes, including the mysterious Dr. Merrick (Sean Bean).

    However, two inhabitants seem to be experiencing strange feelings for each other, confusing feelings that they don't understand. They are Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan Two-Delta (Scarlett Johansson). Furthermore, to make matters more difficult, Lincoln has begun to question his environment. He is naturally curious, and unsatisfied with the standard answers and explanations given to him.

    His curiosity is often rewarded through a disgruntled facility employee, McCord (Steve Buscemi), who unwittingly helps Lincoln discover the real (and horrible) truth of his existence.

    Despite the odd plot hole and stretch of believability, somehow the premise still works, largely due to the likeable McGregor and Johansson. Even the very predictable Michael Bay montage of action set pieces, with explosive stunts and frantic chases on foot and in cars, are all acceptable, and well . . . rather exciting and enjoyable.

Video

    The transfer is excellent.

    The widescreen transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, 16x9 Enhanced.

    The sharpness is very good, as can be seen in the detailed people included in the wide-angled shot at 48:03. The black level and shadow detail are also very good.

    Colour is strongly used throughout, especially in the absence of colour during the first half. The skin tones are accurate.

    There are no problems with MPEG, film-to-video, or film artefacts.

    English and English for the Hearing Impaired subtitles are provided. They are accurate.

    This is a single-sided, dual-layered disc with the layer change occurring at 59:32. The feature is divided into 37 chapters.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    There is only one audio option on the disc: English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384Kb/s).

    Despite the frequent use of ADR, the dialogue quality and audio sync are excellent.

    The musical score is credited to Ramin Djawadi, Clay Duncan, and Steve Jablonsky, and it suits the film well.

    The surround presence and activity is good throughout. The surround sound mix is quite immersive and the rear speakers are used effectively to provide ambience and effects, for example the circling helicopters at 63:01 and the city background ambience at 73:44. The sound design is great, and there are some nice directional effects, and panning between speakers.

    The subwoofer is also utilised very effectively, for example the helicopters at 55:07.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    It's been a very long time since I saw a big release like this with so few extras.

Menu

    Animated with audio.

Theatrical Trailer

    Batman Begins

Featurette-Making Of (14:55)

    Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, with Dolby Stereo audio, this is a short piece of marketing fluff. It includes a few sound-bites from Producer/Director Michael Bay, and some of the cast and crew, with some behind-the-scenes footage, but don't expect anything too in depth here.

DVD-ROM

    The Island seems to be due for release on DVD in Region 1 in December, i.e. after it is released here.

    The Region 4 DVD misses out on:

• Audio Commentary with director Michael Bay

    The Region 1 DVD misses out on:

• Nothing

    While it's pretty even, (in that both versions are pretty bare-bones), I have to select R1 for the Audio Commentary.

    If you like Michael Bay films, then rent or buy this one, as you will probably enjoy it. If, however, you hated Bad Boys, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor, stay clear!

    The video quality is excellent.

    The audio quality is also excellent.

    The extras are slim - very slim.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall