Karin S.

Steinl

BSA 3B

Dec. 16, 2014

Reaction paper to the movie The Island

I believe the movie was able to put its point across which was in line with the story of the
allegory of the cave but with many more twists. I would like to mention three points which took
my attention the most.
First, the people (later known to be clones) in their world where all unaware that they
were living a life of illusion. They did not know how the real world was and they were all fed
with information that was a lie. Believing that their main purposes was the lottery ticket for the
island, they did not dream nor think much further. This made me wonder. What if this world was
really just an illusion and all that we know is just necessary for this society to work? In the
movie the main purpose of winning the lottery ticket can be seen as the main purpose why they
were created to save their sponsor. Thus, the island was their purpose but maybe management
should have indicated some disclaimers.
Second, when the main characters discovered the real world and their real purpose they
were facing a decision they had to make which was between self-interest and common good.
They knew that they were finally free but made the decision to return to save the others despite
the fact that they might get killed by the management. In the allegory of the cave, the main
character also had the same dilemma and chose the same decision which was for the common
good to discover the truth that will set them free. Although the main characters saw the end and
lived while the character in the allegory of the cave died, this was no major issue for me. I still
think that the significance for sharing the truth was well delivered by the movie.
Third, in the middle part of the movie they were showing how they created the clones.
They start up all new like a blank slate which will be provided some basic information or
Experience. I do understand that this is just a movie but they never really justified how they
were able to give souls to their clones. DNA samples are blueprints of our bodies but not of our
souls, so how did they do it? Maybe in 2019 (they year of the movie) they were able to find a

way to put some substitute of a soul into the clone. Regardless of soul or no soul I think that this
does not matter. This scene can be viewed in real life on how society teaches us to become one of
them through traditions and norms. Sometimes something that is mainstream is not always right
nor reasonable. We have to discover for ourselves and distinguish whether something is
reasonable to do or not.
The whole movie in itself was an action-fun-packed-mind-contemplating-okay movie. I
think I still learned some new lessons that will stay with me. Although some scenes were clich,
like when the protagonists jumped off a 25 story building without plunging to their deaths by
being caught by a construction net with explosions in the background, it still was a movie worth
watching. Maybe in the future if I have some extra time I will watch this movie again.