In this blog post, we examine the ethical and social issues that could arise when human cloning becomes a reality, exploring the warnings and implications posed by technological advancement.
What does the movie “The Island” warn us about?
Released during a period of explosive public interest in human cloning following Dr. Hwang Woo-suk’s successful embryonic stem cell cloning in South Korea, the film “The Island” also benefited from this heightened attention. It seriously raises questions about the phenomena and problems that could arise in our society if human cloning becomes a reality. Humans are inherently incomplete beings who inevitably weaken with time. But if science and technology advance to the point where human cloning becomes possible, what would truly unfold? Are cloned humans, whose lives are extended only to be discarded, truly necessary or justified? While tackling such heavy and serious themes, the film skillfully balances tension and relaxation, ensuring the audience remains engaged until the very end.
The director is Michael Bay. His name alone is enough to foreshadow this as a massive blockbuster. Michael Bay is known as a director who powerfully conveys his passion and energy to the audience. The reason he could handle the heavy subject of human cloning while staying true to its core and creating an engaging narrative lies precisely in his directorial prowess.
Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson star in the lead roles. Both actors masterfully portrayed dual roles. Ewan McGregor impressively portrayed the contrasting characters of the innocent and sensitive Lincoln 6-Echo and the selfish and hypocritical Tom Lincoln. As seen in his recent appearance in “Star Wars Episode 3,” his acting is consistently stable and outstanding. Similarly, Scarlett Johansson, as Jordan 2-Delta, delivered a compelling performance, expressing both heart-wrenching and warm emotions in the face of love—both an error and a miracle.
The director’s message is clear. Following Dr. Hwang Woo-suk’s research announcement, the possibility of actual human cloning began to be discussed scientifically and socially. The film presents the issue of cloned humans as a realistic warning within this context. Though not yet realized, it shows the possibility of this arriving in the near future, unnoticed by us, suggesting that value judgments on cloned humans may vary depending on one’s worldview. However, the director isn’t trying to determine right or wrong; he’s telling the audience that now is the time to think seriously about it.
“The Island” Synopsis
In the mid-21st century, Lincoln 6-Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan 2-Delta (Scarlett Johansson) live among hundreds of residents in a perfectly controlled utopia, believing only a tiny fraction of humanity survived an ecological catastrophe on Earth. Every morning, they undergo health checks, live in an environment where even food and interpersonal relationships are controlled, and dream of being selected by lottery to go to “The Island,” a land of hope said to be uncontaminated.
However, Lincoln, tormented by recurring nightmares, begins to question this standardized existence. He eventually discovers that everything he believed was a lie, and that all the people here are actually replicants created to provide organs and bodies for the Sponsors (original humans). Being selected for “The Island” meant their bodies would be harvested, ending their lives.
After witnessing a surrogate mother murdered and her organs harvested immediately after giving birth, Lincoln attempts an escape with Jordan, who was preparing to go to the “Island.” Together, they uncover hidden truths and witness the reality of the outside world firsthand. They embark on a search for their sponsor, continuing their flight driven by the instinct for survival.
An Interview with Director Michael Bay
Michael Bay, who successfully helmed large-scale projects like “The Rock,” “Armageddon,” and “Pearl Harbor,” now teams up with producer Walter F. Parkes to present “The Island,” a massive action film exploring human cloning. Michael Bay himself explains the story behind “The Island.”
Lincoln 6-Echo
Lincoln (Ewan McGregor) accesses vast information through his dreams. These dreams stem from his sponsor’s memories, dormant within his DNA, seeping into Lincoln’s memory system. He instinctively craves more knowledge, though he himself isn’t entirely sure what he truly desires. The production team designed Lincoln as a character possessing a more philosophical humanity than other clones. They explain that the design methodology changes with each manufacturing generation, and Lincoln’s Echo generation was created to be remarkably closer to human than anticipated.
Jordan 2-Delta
Played by Scarlett Johansson, Jordan 2-Delta is not an advanced clone like Lincoln. Therefore, she lives her life fully believing in the existence of “The Island.” However, the trust and friendship she forms with Lincoln shakes her worldview, ultimately giving her the will to believe Lincoln and face reality.
My Identity I Didn’t Know
Lincoln realizes that the images in his dreams match the facts known to scientists. He approaches the truth as he recognizes that all his memories originate from within himself and that what he described is identical to actual facts. During their escape, the two witness a scene where manipulated memories are injected into lying clones, and those memories were identical to the scenes Lincoln saw in his dreams.
Questioning the Meaning of Human Existence
“The Island” is a film that explores the meaning of human existence. It unfolds under the premise that human cloning has succeeded, not to weigh heavily on the ethics of cloning, but to present a fictional scenario of what world might unfold if cloning became reality. While fundamentally targeting the summer market with strong entertainment elements, it also contains ample room for reflection.
A Persistent Production Process and Direction
With numerous large-scale locations and complex scenes, the production team required considerable persistence. Michael Bay is a director known for meticulously mapping out the entire filmmaking process in his mind. He is famously seen carrying a small lens around the set, constantly scouting for the best angles. Shooting is always a race against time, making split-second decisions crucial. He states that even with a planned concept, he prefers boldly revising it if a better idea emerges.
Analysis of the Film “The Island”
Heroic Mythological Characteristics
Propp argued that diverse stories ultimately stem from variations of a single basic structure. He analyzed approximately 100 Russian folk tales to identify common narrative patterns. Lévi-Strauss also noted that all myths feature opposing pairs like good and evil, heroes and villains. The villain disrupts peace, and the hero challenges this to resolve it. The giver bestows superpowers or weapons upon the hero, while the helper assists in overcoming crises. The princess is the object the villain seeks to claim, and the father permits her to be given to the hero. The Dispatcher assigns the hero a mission, and the false hero is eventually revealed as such and transformed.
Joseph Campbell divided the hero’s journey into three stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return. The hero is separated from the world (Departure), distanced from the past, gains insight into the source of power and discovers himself (Initiation), and ultimately returns to the original world to save it (Return). Campbell particularly regarded the third stage, the return, as essential to the hero.
In the world of “The Island,” Merrick Biotech succeeded in cloning humans after attempting to clone human embryos. Ignoring legal regulations, they implanted fabricated memories into the clones, convincing them they could go to “The Island,” and made them live like humans. The clones believe they are survivors who escaped Earth’s apocalypse, spending each day in a perfectly controlled utopia.
The protagonist, Lincoln 6-Echo, was cloned as an exceptional being. Despite his implanted memories, he is portrayed as a pioneering figure questioning his own existence. His realization of facts beyond the prescribed information and his attempts to escape reality manifest as a rejection of his programmed world.
After escaping Ireland upon learning the truth, Lincoln and Jordan face danger as they are pursued by private security hired by Dr. Merrick. However, they receive help from McCord, a cloning facility employee who possesses his original identity. This aligns with the classic motif of the hero overcoming crisis with an ally’s assistance. Furthermore, the security guard, who comes to understand the essence of the events through his personal past and assists the two, also fulfills the role of a helper.
Lincoln then heads to Merrick Biotech not only to save himself but also his comrades, which corresponds to the climax moment in the hero myth. He overcomes adversity, defeats Dr. Merrick, liberates the replicants, and in the process, also gains Jordan’s love.
Genre Characteristics
“The Island” belongs to the sci-fi thriller genre. The defining feature of thrillers is that they let audiences experience the fantasy of being the victim. The protagonist is often an innocent civilian; while mysteries focus on revealing ‘why they died,’ thrillers focus on showing ‘how they survive.’ The film reveals human cloning as its core theme through its main tagline: “The greatest human cloning that thrilled all of humanity… Now, a grand future is recreated!” Rather than deducing the events, the audience anticipates what trials the protagonist will face and overcome, given the premise of human cloning is already established.
Ideological Characteristics
Mythology refers to society’s dominant beliefs about specific situations or objects. The myth surrounding women reflects the image imposed upon them within society—expectations that they must be obedient, demure, purer than men, and perform better within private spaces. A male-centered cultural system calls upon both men and women to internalize a male-centered worldview, a process that reinforces society’s ideological order.
This characteristic is also evident in the portrayal of Jordan 2-Delta. She is shocked upon learning the truth about Ireland, but subsequently follows Lincoln’s judgment entirely. This can be seen as a reproduction within the film of the social myth that has long depicted women as weaker and inferior to men.
In South Korean history, the 3S policy (SPORTS, SEX, SCREEN) introduced during the Fifth Republic was a strategy to dumb down the masses. It diverted public attention to specific areas, fostering political apathy to facilitate easier governance. A similar ideological mechanism can be discerned in the film “Ireland,” where the replicants’ attention is controlled by focusing it on the “Ireland Lottery Broadcast.” While the lottery broadcast serves to conceal the process of discarding the clones, it also functions as a tool for the clones themselves, repeatedly reminding them of the program’s content and aligning their life purpose with the Island.
Through the film “The Island”
“The Island” signifies a part separated from the whole. The clones can be seen as symbolizing a part separated from the whole of humanity and its defining characteristics. The audience’s mixed feelings of anger and pity toward the treatment of clones—having their organs extracted and being treated like objects—mirrors the irresponsibility, coldness, and baseness already evident in our society, making it a microcosm of reality.
Following Dr. Hwang Woo-suk’s research announcement, the perception that human cloning might be possible spread, sparking intense global debate. The film depicts the social chaos that ensues when clones and originals coexist, warning that clones risk being devalued below their originals and ultimately reduced to mere possessions.
Every story begins with harmony and stability. However, when that harmony is shattered, society strives through various efforts to return to a harmonious state, learning lessons in the process. It is a realization of the preciousness of stability and harmony. “Ireland” is a work that presents these concerns to its audience. In a reality where we are easily numbed to such issues by the grind of daily life, it emphasizes that we must never turn away from issues like human cloning and must actively reflect on them from our own standpoint.
