Donna Drutis

The movie held my interest the whole time. The cinematography was okay (3 stars) they got the message across. The set, the spaceships, space itself was not well detailed. But the movie was made in 1969. I have always enjoyed Gene Hackman as an actor but I didn't like this role for him. I think it was beneath him. I'm used to seeing him as a strong male lead i.e. Crimson Tide, No Way Out, etc. There was no chemistry or camaraderie between the 3 astronauts. The dialogue was dull. But the pace and intensity of the movie and the tension in Space Center Houston was quite good.

Non-stop edge of your seat action! Flying sequences had me holding my breath and wondering how do they film those scenes! Tom Cruise, looking sharp 36 years later, gives a career topping performance as an older, wiser, more temperate Maverick. Age may have tempered his cockiness, but not his confidence. He still has his notorious swagger, tempered ever-so-slightly with humility and warmth. With unrivaled acting ability, he draws you into the complex human interactions that were developing as the mission grew more dangerous. With an impossible mission ahead and painful memories behind, he makes you feel it all! The failure, the pain, the fear, the courage, the commitment, the love, the victory. And where has Miles Teller been all these years! He gave a completely lovable, adorable, unforgettable performance as Goose's son. All of the characters were well cast and well acted. It all came together in an intense heart pounding adventure where the bonds of friendship and trust between pilots is tried and tested and their courage and commitment to one another in the face of death will leave you feeling inspired and in awe of those who proudly serve to protect us.

I love sci-fi but this was very slow moving. Halfway through the first season it's reminding me of the "Lost" TV series with intriguing actors and the premise of an amazing story. But just like in "Lost" the plot quickly gets watered down and meanders all over the place and they introduce meaningless characters who are never explained.They raise questions that are never answered and if you do get a little glimpse of an answer it's very unsatisfying making the whole viewing experience frustrating for me. While I'm enjoying some of the characters and the performances, I've lost interest in waiting for the plot to unravel and have fallen asleep more than once. Too bad because it could have been so much more. 2 days later my curiosity got the best of me and I watched the last 2 episodes which were a total disappointment. The ending answered nothing and left me sorry I invested the time watching this.

Taking into consideration the actors, the story, the action, the setting, the futuristic theme - this should have been a 5-star movie. As good as the action scenes were, the camera movement was all over the place and I had to close my eyes through most of the action to keep from getting motion sickness. Bouncing the camera around to add more movement to action scenes seems to be a popular way to film movies but it comes off looking cheap. However, Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson completely drew me in and sold the movie with their solid believable performances.They had great chemistry and physicality! Sean Bean did what he does so well - always the bad guy. Actually, all of the actors were amazing! "The Island" had all the makings of a great movie. What a shame that the filming didn't do justice to the story and the acting.