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Good start, but then it gets ruined

Don't Believe the Hype

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Island city is a scifi entry of a possible future earth. Set in future, (the exact date I don't remember) we find that the earth is screwed up in more ways than one. The premise of this televised movie was that humanities technology was growing at a fast pace, and they had finally discovered a drug that could prolong human life by centuries. Unfortunately it didn't pass FDA testing because we learn humanity quickly devolves into grunting cavemen, with only only a few tens of thousands who are unaffected by the devolving nature of the drug.Now the story progresses as the remaining intelligent members of humanity are trying to rebuild society. Hence the title, Island City, which is the last bastion of unchanged humans. Amazingly they have LOTS of really advanced technology. Teleportation archways, a shield to protect the city from electromagnetic/ion storms (which now ravage the planet, who knows why) and outside attacks by the devolved members of the human race, and the city looks more like a giant CLEAN (gasp) mall.Though you do figure with all that advanced technology why they couldn't come up with a way to break down or reverse the effects of the drug. Though looking along the multiple character back stories they told in the first hour alone, we can see how troubled the human race was in this future. Clones of soldiers which it turns out, you make a carbon copy of an individual it will have some mental or physical problem. That the city is located in a desert and of electrical storms all over the place that they need a shield to protect themselves shows how screwed up the planet got. And of course the wonder drug which extended life, but in the course of extending it, 95% of the human race was reduced to large craniums Neanderthals. All this speaks of how fast earth raced technologically without fear of repercussions of those technologies.The only redeeming story arc in this entire show was the fine acting of Brenda Strong who plays Dr. Sammy Helding and the actor who played the character who she was married to. She had taken the drug and was unaffected by the devolving process, and so she has her life extended. But her husband refused to take the drug and continued to age normally. She still looks like she is in her late 20's and early 30's but her husband looks to be in his 70's. The arc of the story if progressed showed resentment towards the woman he loves for the choice she made. He even makes an off hand comment that maybe she should just go along with someone 'younger'. But she still loves the man she married, even as he makes a sarcastic remark in a self dignified jealousy. I found this story arc of the life choices made by two individuals very well played out.As for technological side, the jewels which everyone is forced to wear, by law in the show, shows how far the world may have to go in order to protect itself from disease. Basically the jewels are surgically implanted in each individual to show genetic compatibility in mates so as not to reproduce a devolved specimen of man. Apparently the life extension drug has screwed up everyone's DNA so only the right combinations of compatible mates are allowed to have children. Reds with reds, blues with blues, and so on and so forth. The only people who arn't allowed to procreate are those people who have a black jewel. Forbidden to procreate. Of course we only have one individual in the show who has a black jewel, and of course he's half devolved. Of course since most technologies we see in today's world is technology we see in scifi shows, who is to say these jewels won't be seen in the future to label people with diseases such as AIDS.I'll have to give the show a five. I'm halfway because I tend to love all scifi no matter how good or bad it gets.

I really wanted to see this thin become a series when I saw the pilot. A lot of people tanked it, as you can see, but that doesn't mean it couldn't have been great. I've seen many a bad pilot that spawned long lived and enjoyable shows. The plot was great. Attempts to produce a "fountain of youth" medication succeed, but trigger a recessive gene present in a large amount of the population which causes them to sort of devolve to the stage of Cro-Magnon man. I really enjoyed the premise and some of the characters. Some of the details were hard to swallow, like the level of tech available to folks in the cities, but none of that is too terrible. I really enjoyed it. I'm a sci-fi fanatic and there are some things that just appeal to me as far as story elements and plots go. I'm willing to overlook some of the less than mediocre acting on the part of certain characters and lower production values if it has a story line that I can really get into. If you keep in mind that it's meant to be a series for a pilot and not expect feature film quality acting and cinematography, and are a fan of real sci-fi, you will definitely get into this.

From a diehard sci-fi fan, this movie is right on the mark!!! Whoever dislikes this original, well acted, funny, semi-scarry movie should limit their movie watching to "Barney" or "Ernest Goes To Camp" Or, for a REALLLLLY SCARRY movie, watch the 1950's version of "Scrooge"!!!!!!!!!!

Granted, it may be a cheapie pilot, with cheesy special effects and unknown actors, but this movie was fun to watch. Don't go into it expecting another Space Odyssey, but it's a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours if you have time to kill.