Where was The Island filmed?

After Tom betrays Lincoln and tries to hand him over to the mercenary Laurent (Djimon Hounsou), Lincoln and Jordan make a run for it. This is one of the film's best action sequences and features a huge, futuristic car chase.

Lincoln, unable to control a flying motorcycle, crashes it into the side of a giant skyscraper, leaving both him and Jordan dangling off a giant red ‘R’, hundreds of feet off the ground.

Unsurprisingly, Jordan shouts “Don’t drop me Lincoln!” as she struggles to hang on. Luckily, neither of them die here.

This skyscraper is actually located in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, at 555 West 5th St, just around the corner from the Los Angeles Central Library. The building itself is now home to the consultancy firm, Deloitte, so unless you have an interview, you can’t have a look around, but you can stand outside and see where the pair crashed the flying motorcycle.

This particular The Island filming location is just around the corner from Pershing Square metro station so it’s super easy to get to if you don’t have a car in LA.

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When we have our first few glimpses into life in the compound, we see how the inhabitants are constantly monitored. When Lincoln goes for breakfast, his bracelet is scanned and he’s informed he’s on a diet watch by the server, so it’s just fruit and oatmeal available for him.

He’s shocked and says, “No bacon today?”. It’s an interesting conversation that highlights how much the clones are being kept at their physical peak just in case they’re needed for transplants or pregnancies.

Pretty much all of the scenes that take place in the compound were shot in Downey Studios in Downey. Sadly, the studios have now been permanently closed down, but the site does still exist if you want to visit. There’s also a huge mall and cinema complex next door if you want to swing by on the way.

You’re going to have to drive to reach this The Island filming location, but there is plenty of parking at the mall and the movie theater next door.

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Once Lincoln and Jordan escape, they seek help from the compound technician, Mac, who tells them the truth about them being cloned. He even tells Lincoln who his sponsor is, an automobile designer called Tom Lincoln who lives in LA.

The pair decide to head to LA and Mac decides to help them evade Merrick’s men. They get as far as the train station heading to LA before they’re found. Merrick’s men spot Mac first, who shouts “Run!”.

Seconds later, Merrick’s men shoot Mac and the station is plunged into chaos, as Lincoln and Jordan make a break for it.

Ironically, everyone in this scene is already in Los Angeles, as it was filmed inside Union Station. As the main train station in LA, it’s a pretty busy site, and if you’re coming into the city from afar and don’t want to drive, this is likely to be your destination.

You can of course travel by train to this filming location, or get one of the many buses that drop off outside the station. There is also a nearby parking lot, although it’s pretty expensive.

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After seeking out Tom’s help, Lincoln thinks that his sponsor is going to help him expose Merrick and bring down the facility. However, Tom has a liver problem that he needs Lincoln’s cloned body for so he sets him up.

Tom: “I’m not ready to die yet.” Lincoln: “Me neither”

This ambush happens just before the climactic car chase through the streets of Los Angeles. It’s at this point the filming switches between Los Angeles and Detroit. As they’re driving down the street with Tom holding a gun to Lincoln's head, the exterior shots are around 30 Clifford St, Detroit. It’s also where a lot of the subsequent car chase happens too.

If you want to have a wander around this particular Island filming location, you can get off the Detroit light rail network at either Broadway or Grand Circus and it’s just a short walk to Clifford Street.

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So, the big car chase scene. Everything comes to a head in this scene. There has been betrayal, Merrick’s men are closing in and it looks like Lincoln and Jordan are out of allies. As they try to escape the ambush, they hide under a train car that’s being transported.

Lincoln pokes his head out to see where the mercenaries are and gets spotted, prompting him to try and get him and Jordan out from under the lorry.

Lincoln: “Move” Jordan: “I can’t fit!”

She tries to wiggle under huge pieces of machinery but the hole is too small until Lincoln releases the machine part, watching it roll off the lorry and almost hit the mercenary’s car behind them.

This bridge scene was filmed along the Port of Long Beach. To get to the port, you’re going to have to drive or access it via boat with the obvious permissions. If you’re looking to visit, you might want to check out the Long Beach waterfront and harbor at the same time, home of the Queen Mary ship and countless other attractions.

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Once Lincoln learns the truth about the compound and Merrick realizes that he knows, Lincoln is on a ticking clock to get out of there. Freeing Jordan at the same time to save her from the lottery, they escape the compound and find themselves in the middle of the desert.

Despite the oppressive heat, the pair of them keep running, knowing that they’ll be chased down and killed if they’re caught. After some time, Jordan stops to rest.

Lincoln: “We’ve got to keep going” Jordan: “No I’ve got to stop I can’t keep running”

We feel you Jordan, hot cardio is the worst.

All the desert scenes were filmed in Rhyolite, Nevada. This particular shot was filmed in front of the old Cook Bank Building. The ghost town vibe of Rhyolite was perfect for giving an abandoned, government facility feel. Noo one is stumbling upon the compound by accident!

Rhyolite is just over the Nevada border, on the edge of Death Valley National Park, so you definitely need to drive there. The whole town is full of historic desert ruins to learn about and explore, so it’s well worth a visit to this Island filming location.

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