Evil spawn of Logans Run, The Matrix, Coma and The Clonus Horror
July 29, 2005 1:07 PM Subscribe
So, "The Island" was a pretty lame movie, but there is something about it that has been gnawing at me.
Who planted the memories that gave Lincoln the ability to drive cars and boats? Presumably they were the memories of his original "owner", but it never comes out in the story how this contamination happened.
Did I miss something, or am I expecting too much from the derivitive hack-job of a sci-fi movie?
Who planted the memories that gave Lincoln the ability to drive cars and boats? Presumably they were the memories of his original "owner", but it never comes out in the story how this contamination happened.
Did I miss something, or am I expecting too much from the derivitive hack-job of a sci-fi movie?
I think they wanted us to believe that somehow those thoughts generated independent of outside interaction. I may be mistaken, however, since I think I lost quite a bit of brain mass by watching this movie.
posted by renyoj at 1:31 PM on July 29, 2005
posted by renyoj at 1:31 PM on July 29, 2005
I just saw the movie on Wednesday... and I liked it.
Anyway, no: they don't explain it. It's a mystery to the doctors in the movie, and it's a mystery to the viewers... which is the best way to handle plot mysteries in a movie, I think.
posted by silusGROK at 1:33 PM on July 29, 2005
Anyway, no: they don't explain it. It's a mystery to the doctors in the movie, and it's a mystery to the viewers... which is the best way to handle plot mysteries in a movie, I think.
posted by silusGROK at 1:33 PM on July 29, 2005
Did I miss something, or am I expecting too much from the derivitive hack-job of a sci-fi movie?
It's a Michael Bay movie. Just sayin'
posted by Rothko at 1:38 PM on July 29, 2005
It's a Michael Bay movie. Just sayin'
posted by Rothko at 1:38 PM on July 29, 2005
Also, to the other points raised: the cops arrive en-force because the credit card is being tracked due to its connection to a murder victim... and if I were the cops, I would have let the transaction go through to give my team the time they need to get to the whereever it's being used. Also, proximity sensors were necessary to prevent sexual activity between the products (they have enough to worry about without dealing with overages)... and as for sensors for where people shouldn't be at all... well, if our airports can have crappy security protocols, why not our movies?
Finally, with regards to _how_ the memories got there, I just figured they were relying on recent science that implies an ability for molecules to "communicate" across distances.
AI had a similar concept, when they discussed memories imprinting themselves, somehow, on the space-time continuum.
posted by silusGROK at 1:39 PM on July 29, 2005
Finally, with regards to _how_ the memories got there, I just figured they were relying on recent science that implies an ability for molecules to "communicate" across distances.
AI had a similar concept, when they discussed memories imprinting themselves, somehow, on the space-time continuum.
posted by silusGROK at 1:39 PM on July 29, 2005
In fact, the only real problem I had with the movie was where all those people were walking to at the end? I just pictured them all dieing of dehydration.
posted by silusGROK at 1:45 PM on July 29, 2005
posted by silusGROK at 1:45 PM on July 29, 2005
Also, to the other points raised: the cops arrive en-force because the credit card is being tracked due to its connection to a murder victim... and if I were the cops, I would have let the transaction go through to give my team the time they need to get to the whereever it's being used.
Point.
as for sensors for where people shouldn't be at all... well, if our airports can have crappy security protocols, why not our movies?
When you have a Big Secret to protect from a populace that's already tagged with RFID sensors (or something), it's a pretty conspicuous omission.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 1:46 PM on July 29, 2005
Point.
as for sensors for where people shouldn't be at all... well, if our airports can have crappy security protocols, why not our movies?
When you have a Big Secret to protect from a populace that's already tagged with RFID sensors (or something), it's a pretty conspicuous omission.
posted by Zed_Lopez at 1:46 PM on July 29, 2005
Well, they do need )_keys_ to get everywhere... they make a point to show keys all over the place... but Lincoln gets his hand on a set (which they also show). So they have a measure to protect those areas... their security just lacks ductility — which is hardly a rare occurance. Especially when those in power underestimate the intelligence/ingenuity/will of those they're guarding against.
posted by silusGROK at 1:54 PM on July 29, 2005
posted by silusGROK at 1:54 PM on July 29, 2005
I think the implication was that the memories were imprinted on his DNA, and because he was a super fancy Echo-line clone, his brain "woke up" to these memories.
Which is crap. But I still liked the sci-fi stuff.
And I have to hand it to my man, Sean Bean -- he really can say some atrocious lines with conviction.
posted by unsweet at 2:30 PM on July 29, 2005
Which is crap. But I still liked the sci-fi stuff.
And I have to hand it to my man, Sean Bean -- he really can say some atrocious lines with conviction.
posted by unsweet at 2:30 PM on July 29, 2005
In the movies, identical twins are often supposed to have some mysterious psychic bond (another recent example would be "Constantine"). Often appears in SF novels as well, e.g. Roger Zelazny's Today We Choose Faces, Jack Vance's Night Lamp.
The movie itself was full of plot holes. But what I disliked most was that the trailers gave away the central secret.
posted by russilwvong at 2:39 PM on July 29, 2005
The movie itself was full of plot holes. But what I disliked most was that the trailers gave away the central secret.
posted by russilwvong at 2:39 PM on July 29, 2005
Hrm, I'm not sure the answer to your question, but that movie sure did make me want to use MSN Search while enjoying my Aqaufina Water and Playing Microsoft XBox.
Just sayin, the product placements in that movie were a bit much.
posted by menace303 at 3:59 PM on July 29, 2005
Just sayin, the product placements in that movie were a bit much.
posted by menace303 at 3:59 PM on July 29, 2005
I haven't seen the film yet, but last Tuesday's Non Sequitur seemed nicely on-topic for the original post.
posted by robhuddles at 4:00 PM on July 29, 2005
posted by robhuddles at 4:00 PM on July 29, 2005
The Michelob product placement made me laugh (and roll my eyes).
I missed the Xbox, though.
I'd pretty much given up on the *story* by the time the explanation came around. However, my few active brain cells at that time interpreted Lincoln's "false" memories to his brain recreating memories (neural data, I suppose) that were scanned in from the original Lincoln.
Yeah, there are so many ridiculous things about the film. A few that bugged me is that this crack team of assassins couldn't shoot two people even with machine guns at short range. And that Echo could outrun said assassins wearing those ridiculously pointy spike heeled shoes.
posted by luneray at 4:43 PM on July 29, 2005
I missed the Xbox, though.
I'd pretty much given up on the *story* by the time the explanation came around. However, my few active brain cells at that time interpreted Lincoln's "false" memories to his brain recreating memories (neural data, I suppose) that were scanned in from the original Lincoln.
Yeah, there are so many ridiculous things about the film. A few that bugged me is that this crack team of assassins couldn't shoot two people even with machine guns at short range. And that Echo could outrun said assassins wearing those ridiculously pointy spike heeled shoes.
posted by luneray at 4:43 PM on July 29, 2005
I think that the reason that the memories were there was because they did a whole body scan thing in addition to the DNA sample. Remember, the clones don't grow up: they're supposed to be copies of the clients at their current age.
I guess the technology allows them to recreate the exact neurological structure of the client's brain.
Remember, the clone's fingerprint was the same as well. Fingerprints of a clone (in today's technology) would be different, wouldn't they? I thought finger prints were a developmental thing, not a genetic thing.
Anyway, it doesn't matter. Didn't you see that FPP on the science of star wars?
posted by thejimp at 5:50 PM on July 29, 2005
I guess the technology allows them to recreate the exact neurological structure of the client's brain.
Remember, the clone's fingerprint was the same as well. Fingerprints of a clone (in today's technology) would be different, wouldn't they? I thought finger prints were a developmental thing, not a genetic thing.
Anyway, it doesn't matter. Didn't you see that FPP on the science of star wars?
posted by thejimp at 5:50 PM on July 29, 2005
Yeah, there were a lot of plot holes in that movie, like why why cops in the future all drive 2005 Crystler 300s, and why anyone would use Jet bikes and conventional helicopters.
The product placement in the outside world made sense at least, but inside? Sheesh.
posted by delmoi at 10:01 PM on July 29, 2005
The product placement in the outside world made sense at least, but inside? Sheesh.
posted by delmoi at 10:01 PM on July 29, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
Chalk it up to the same reason the clones have the same fingerprints as their progentors (identical twins don't), or why, in the future, LA sends four squad cars, sirens blaring, the cops getting out with weapons drawn, to respond to a stolen credit card being used (yet, mind you, the machine allows the transaction), or why the complex's sensors alert security if two people are standing too close for too long, yet not if someone is someplace they entirely shouldn't be...
Namely, that it was a big, dumb action film and its makers cared fuck-all for any semblance of consistency or plausibility (c.f. The Matrix.)
posted by Zed_Lopez at 1:29 PM on July 29, 2005