Hey folks, Harry here... I know Dreamworks is really high on this project, as the writers of it now have a production deal over there and are picking up and developing properties for Dreamworks. Sounds cool as hell from the first 45 minutes, and very unBay as he's come to be known. Here ya go...
Hey Harry,
Never submitted before, but I thought I'd drop you a line about The Island,
45 minutes of which screened tonight at the Academy in Beverly Hills. As
someone who has felt something less than like for Michael's previous movies,
I'm happy to say that the first half of The Island is the best film of
Michael Bay's career. He's helped by a very good cast, but it shows a
degree of maturity that's been missing from everything else Bay has done.
The most suprising thing about it for me was that it takes its time to tell
a compelling story and set up characters you can get behind, so when the
mayhem breaks loose it has a tension and urgency that feels earned, instead
of beating you severely about the face and neck from the moment the lights
go down. Before anyone shouts PLANT, I'll admit that I'm involved with the
production, but that doesn't mean I'm being anything but honest. If I
wasn't really happy with it, I'd just keep my mouth shut. From the reaction
of the audience, mostly press (including a few Aint it Cool trolls, I
noticed), I don't think I'm alone.
If the second half is as good as the first, there may be hope for this
summer yet.
Keep up the great work. If you use this, call me Badhat.
and here's this version which goes into more detail and spoilers - but with the same enthusiasm. Here ya go...
Hey harry-
I managed to get into an advance preview of The Island
tonight. Luckily for me there was a lot of confusion
at the front door of the Motion Picture Academy and I
was able to slip in unnoticed. I wasn't really sure
what i was going to see, a friend told me there was to
be a screening of a big sci-fi/action film so i went.
The filmmakers screened the first forty-five minutes
of the movie in its somewhat unfinished form. Walter
Parkes and Laurie MacDonald introduced the footage,
telling a story of how they got involved with the
movie. Considering they are responsible for two of my
favorite movies, Men In Black and Gladiator, I was
interested to say the least! Then Michael Bay got up
and joked about how nervous he was to be showing a
work in progress.
Well he had nothing to be worried about! Sure some of
the scenes had blue screens in the background and some
of the effects were unfinished. But even unfinished
the movie looks great. Really cool environments and
some huge sets.
I don't want to give too many spoilers because a big
part of the fun of this movie is discovering what's
going on along with Ewan McGregor. In broad strokes:
he's a clone who hasn't been told he is one but is
starting to suspect there is something fishy going on.
He is understandably smitten with Scarlett Johansson
and realizes her life is in danger so they try to
escape.
there are a lot of really smart ideas and very
interesting concepts in this story. A bit of Blade
Runner and Clockwork Orange as well as Logan's Run
(the cool parts not the corny 70's damage!)
Obviously McGregor and Johansson are great. The other
actors were as good. Ethan Phillips (I almost didn't
recognize him without the Neelix make-up but his voice
is very distinctive) has a great part as a conspiracy
theorist who has no idea just how much he has
underestimated the conspiracy. Steve Buscemi, Michael
Clarke Duncan, and Sean Bean are in it as well as
Djiman Hounsou who we didn't get to see too much of
since apparently his character is in the second half.
After they showed the first half they also showed a
big chase that happens latter in the film. That was
when you could really appreciate it was a Micheal Bay
film! A very cool high speed freeway chase that has
the cops on these flying jet powered motorcycle kind
of machines. Think The Matrix Reloaded chase with
Return of the Jedi speeder bikes but bigger, faster
and cooler! I can't wait to see that scene again!
I can definitely say my two favorite movies this
summer star Ewan McGregor!
