The Island (2005) - Hollywood's Accidental Pro-Life Film

I'll admit it, I have a weak spot for Michael Bay movies. Bay, who got his start shooting music videos, has often struggled between style and substance with his films, but, in the end, he usually provides an enjoyable ride. The media, however, loves to pile criticism on Bay's flicks. Bad Boys was a surprise hit, helping launch Will Smith into the upper eschelon of film actors. The Rock did very well at the box office and made Bay an official popcorn-movie filmmaker. Armaggedon got hammered and deservedly so. Pearl Harbor, which I actually enjoy, got pounded and under performed at the box office. Bad Boys II was financially successful, but was an awful film with no moral compass. Bay then followed that offensive sequel up with the intriguing sci-fi drama, The Island.

The Island takes place in the near future and is a Logan's Run-esque cloning action flick starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. McGregor and Johansson portray people in a futuristic isolated underground society, where the world has been contaminated and where the only place left outside that is uncontaminated is called... The Island. Residents of this underground society are randomly chosen through a lottery to go to The Island to help repopulate the planet.

The reality, however, is vastly different and disturbing. Each of the underground residents are actually clones of people in the real world who are in need of organs. When people go to The Island, they are actually "harvested"... meaning they are killed and the needed organs of the clones sent to replace faulty organs of their doubles in the real world. McGregor uncovers this secret and must save Johansson before she gets sent off to The Island. That's where the action really kicks into high gear.

The Island is a good mix of sci-fi and action, while dealing with serious and morally challenging subject matters. What is humorous is that, in The Island, Hollywood inadvertently created an extremely pro-life film. You could just as easily replace "clones" with "fetus" and all of the moral arguments against the destruction of them remain intact. Clones are created and discarded to cure illnesses or for human spare parts. Fetuses are created and discarded for stem cells to cure illness and repair failing organs.

People in the film argue that clones have no souls... there is no proof of this... it is just that the powers that be have determined as such. The same argument is used today with fetuses... those who are pro-choice do not believe... or should I say cannot believe that the fetuses have souls. There is no proof of this, but the powers that be have determined as such.

Human history is replete with society making such moral justifications in order to allow inhuman acts against sectors of society... see slavery... see communisim... see facism and Nazi Germany... see concentration camps... see abortion clinics. The first step is to marginalize the people with whom will be treated inhumanely... Call Jews less than human. Call Africans uncivilized savages. Call unborn babies fetuses. It's all the same process which we repeat over and over again so that those in power can take advantage of those without power.

The Island dares to approach these sensitive questions in an entertaining and occasionally disturbing way. It asks questions that we are afraid to ask... it just wraps the subject matter with beautiful actors, cool action sequences and slick explosions. But, when the film is over, what sticks with you isn't the actors, the action sequences or the explosions... what remains are the images and questions revolving the sanctity of life and where the moving line is currently drawn on which life has rights and which life does not.

You can watch the Trailer Here.