MrDevgel

To be clear, I'm not blaming the movie for piggybacking Frequency (2000). I found the whole idea of a psychopathic caller from the past haunting the present quite intriguing, if not 'fresh,' as a matter of fact.

After all, we live in a time where every idea, no matter how original, already exists in some shape or form and we can't just label every piece of fiction to be a plagiarism of some previous work.

Overall, a unique plot, solid acting (which was surprising as I only recognized Luis Guzmán), and a good build-up that kept me hooked.

Unfortunately, the ending just wasn't what I was expecting, though I'm not entirely sure what I was even expecting to begin with!

Come to think of it, I can't think of a better way to finish this particular story with a satisfying ending.

It is what it is, I suppose!

I wasn't expecting this movie to play out like a mockumentary of 1950s American culture, or more broadly, of 'traditional' conservatism, but that's precisely what it is.

On one hand, you have the people of Pleasantville whose lives the movie desperately attempts to portray as 'monochromatic.' Their routines may seem monotonous and unremarkable to an outsider, but they find genuine contentment in their simplicity, moral values, and a sense of honor. As the saying goes, "At least they have their decency."

And yet, the film insists on critiquing this way of life, one they have willingly embraced and find fulfilling, warping it into a dystopian, totalitarian construct reminiscent of a communist regime.

On the other hand, you have '90s teenagers with a savior complex, utterly dismissive of the 'traditional family values' of Pleasantville.

Why?

Just 'cause!

Of course, there's nothing inherently wrong with cultural and political progressivism, to put it mildly, but there must be a boundary, a recognition that living in a society demands a degree of decorum.

One cannot simply surrender to their primitive impulses, whether sexual or otherwise, without consequence.

After all, that is what distinguishes humanity from the animal kingdom.

Overall, I give it a 'solid' 1/10.

As someone who enjoys escape-from-dystopia-esque sci-fi stories, The Island was no exception.

The story started like a freight train, and the first few chapters pretty much kept me on the edge of my seat.

Unfortunately, a problem reared its ugly head in the middle of the movie: Michael Bay.

In typical Michael Bay fashion, a great story and premise were reduced to the cheap action slop of the mid-late aughts, and frankly, I don't blame the audience for not treating this movie like a cult classic.

It's just so... forgettable, despite the undeniably talented cast.

I've no idea why anyone would hand over a story like this to Michael Bay in the first place.

Nothing against Bay, mind you-I think he's a talented director in his own right.

It's just that one can't reasonably expect Michael Bay to faithfully deliver a story like this to the screen without diluting its underlying message and narrative with excessive explosions and action set pieces-his directorial modus operandi.