The Island, based on a story by Caspian Tredwell-Owen

The Island, based on a story by Caspian Tredwell-Owen

8 out of 10

-          This note is an attempt to look at the Island Through a Glass…Brightly, looking at Signature Strengths

-          In general, it should an effort to use Positive Psychology to get the aspects that provide some meaning…or at least Positive Emotions

-          The Island has not benefited from appreciation from the critics, who seem to be divided on this work

-          The Metascore for this motion picture is 50 on IMDB, which suggests an equal split between those who liked and the others who have rejected this Science Fiction story that has some relevance for today

-          Lincoln Six Echo is played by Ewan McGregor, who is also starring as Tom Lincoln, the sponsor of Lincoln Six

-           Jordan Two Delta is the friend of Lincoln Six and her name is also Delta because she belongs to a different generation of…clones

-          Scarlett Johansson is both Jordan Two and her sponsor Sarah Jordan

-           The character portrayed by the stunning actress is waiting to get to The Island, which seems to be Heaven

-          But that is just propaganda provided by the company Merrick Biotech, which is a nefarious entity

-          “Hell is paved with good intentions”

-          If in the initial plan the purpose was to have unfeeling clones that provide sponsors with organs, this went wrong

-          Terribly wrong

-          The head of this company, a sort of Big Brother, is Dr. Bernard Merrick and he explains the process

-          They had to change the idea of “soulless” clones because the organs provided by them were useless

-          So they provided following generations with the primitive elements of consciousness, controlled and under the ground

-          Sponsors aka rich human beings who could afford the five million dollar price for a clone could add fifty years to their lives

-           Once an organ failed, skin needed replacement, they could resort to their “insurance policies „and get the transplant

-          Only this is where Signature Strengths of the…clones come into play

-          With Bravery, Persistence, Curiosity, Love of Learning, Perspective, Citizenship, Fairness, Open – Mindedness, even if at times in incipient form, Lincoln Six and his partner Jordan Two escape…

-          They have realized that there is something wrong with The Island, the system they are in and get out

-          This is going to be very difficult, for they have trained mercenaries on their footsteps and they are naïve in many ways

-          The protagonists ‘lack of education, experience and understanding of human ways makes for some humorous situations:

“Jordan Two-Delta: [watching motorcycle scream down the asphalt] What was that?

Lincoln Six-Echo: I don't know. [smiles]

Lincoln Six-Echo: But I want one.”

-          The fact that they get away when faced with much more experienced, supposedly smarter opponents sounds hard to believe

-          And it is

-          So if one looks Through a Glass Darkly, as in the famous Ingmar Bergman masterpiece, the conclusion is:

-          The plot is flawed

-          But there are explanations and besides, the idea proposed here was to take a different, kinder take on this work

-          Jordan Two Delta is spectacular

-          And she is involved, with her partner-soon-to-become-lover in quite a few scenes that make the public laugh:

“Aces & Spades Bartender: [to Jordan Two Delta] Something to drink? Jack?

Jordan Two-Delta: Yes, please.

Aces & Spades Bartender: Straight up? [Jordan looks up at the ceiling]”

-          She has no idea what many or most expressions mean and also many of the emotions of people are incomprehensible:

“Bar Guy: [quite obviously hitting on her] What's your number?

Jordan Two-Delta: Two-Delta.”