I am impressed with the filmmakers for putting such a deep political meaning into the plot (at least the way I see it). The seemingly hypothetical story, which takes place in 2013, describes the world overflowing with "dangerous" criminals due to the official termination of death penalty. The UN "blue helmets" under the directive from the central authority (i.e., One World Government) decided to conduct a social "experiment" by forcibly dumping the outlaws on the deserted island to supposedly enable them to establish a functional living together thus creating a classic example of a Hobbesian "state of nature." Driven by fear of violent death and the instinct of self-preservation, the people succumb to the subhuman condition- murdering and eating each other. The authorities' true goal becomes apparent in the end when the people, with a hope of escape in sight and under the right leadership, manage to overpower the oppressors within their group, establish order, and retrieve their humanity only to fall victim of the UN's cruelty and to be gunned down by the UN forces. Below the surface, the movie focuses on the scary political trends of the present: the establishment of absolute power and control over peoples' lives and the fake humanitarian nature of international organizations like the UN. The movie makes you think and is very emotionally charged. Despite the pain, it leaves you with a sense of hope. Konstantin Lavronenko's performance is emotional and deeply touching. He is one of those rare actors capable of making a profound impact on the viewers. I have a collection of his movies and have not been disappointed.
Review of Terra Nova
