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'The Island' keeps stupid calamity at 'Bay,' for a while

The Island starts as an intriguing sci-fi thriller that raises questions about the value of human life and how far one will go to survive.

Then all hell breaks loose and you remember that you're watching a Michael Bay movie.

Dreamworks SKG 'The Island' C+ The verdict: Attempts to be a thought-provoking thriller, but its premise and characters get lost amid the mayhem. Director: Michael Bay Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi Run time: 127 minutes Release date: July 22, 2005 Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexuality and language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate "The Island"   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Bay, of course, is the producer-director of such bombastic blockbusters as Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor.

The Island pays greater attention to story and character than any of those, at least early on. But after a certain point, Bay bows to the demands of summer movie-making and it becomes a noisy, relentless action film.

"The Island" is a promised land for the survivors of an environmental disaster, circa 2019, who live in an enclosed, controlled society where bodily processes are monitored and male-female "proximity" is forbidden. Lucky lottery winners are taken to "nature's last remaining pathogen-free zone," where they can breathe fresh air and swim in the ocean.

>Curious, defiant refugee Lincoln Six Echo (Ewan McGregor) stumbles onto the truth about his surroundings. After making a gruesome discovery about a recent lottery winner (Michael Clarke Duncan), Lincoln grabs the latest winner — his friend, Jordan Two Delta (Scarlett Johansson) — and escapes.

With a team of mercenaries in pursuit, Lincoln and Jordan run for their lives amid an implausible onslaught of car chases, shoot-outs and explosions.

We did mention that this is a Michael Bay film, right?

The Island's story borrows elements from Logan's Run, Coma and The Matrix, along with lesser-known films such as 1979's Parts: The Clonus Horror.

It's fairly obvious from the outset what's afoot and who's behind it, especially with perennial villain Sean Bean in the mix.

The film benefits from its charismatic leads — especially McGregor, who plays dual roles and at one point fights himself. Far from action heroes, Lincoln and Jordan are wide-eyed innocents whose reaction to the real world is played for laughs. Steve Buscemi comes to their aid in a snarky supporting turn.

The kinetic action sequences are well-staged, although one elaborate stunt is beyond belief — even for a sci-fi potboiler. And amidst all the wreckage, product placements abound in shiny futuristic packaging.

The Island attempts to be a thought-provoking thriller, but its premise and characters get lost amid the mayhem. Ultimately, it isn't all that original or exciting. But as mindless summer fun goes, it's a step in the right direction for Bay.