Looper
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt
New Release Review
Christine's Review
I really enjoyed Looper, but it is being advertised wrongly. It is not a high-action sci-fi thriller, as the trailers suggest, but a slow burn of a movie with a story that uses the time travel device to ask larger questions about humanity. And it isn't as complicated as you'd think. Briefly, the plot centres around young Joe (Gordon-Levitt), an assassin contracted by future mobsters who send their victims back to Joe's time (before time travel is invented, in fact) where he does his work. Problems start for young Joe when the future version of Joe (Willis) is is sent back in time and escapes before young Joe can complete the contract or "close the loop" in the film's parlance. Don't worry, all of this comes out in the first 10 minutes of the film so I'm not spoiling anything for you.
Old Joe tells young Joe about the Rainmaker, a hugely powerful mobster in the future who is taking over the city. Old Joe has come back to track down the Rainmaker and stop him from taking over the city in the future by killing him as a child. This is where the film gets interesting because now there are subtle questions raised essentially opening the determinism versus free will and nature versus nurture debates respectively. I'd go so far as to say that the time travel elements of the film are just a MacGuffin, a way to drive the plot to the real story: can we change the course of the future with a single act?
I would recommend Looper because it isn't a typical sci-fi, time travel movie because it doesn't get bogged down in the details of the science. In fact, there is no science, it's just presented as fact that there is time travel in the far future. And for a movie set in 2044 it looks remarkably like today except for the robots working the fields and the motorcycles with jet engines. I like that the movie chooses to present just a few differences to remind us that we're in 2044 and keep us feeling comfortable in this future world.
Arlaine's Review
I also really enjoyed Looper. Though it wasn't the most compelling film I have seen this year (that award still goes to The Cabin in the Woods) it was very entertaining. Christine was right; this is not an action-packed, sci-fi film as the trailers and marketing would have you believe. There is a stronger storyline than the typical action movie that brings out the heart of the characters involved. Particularly Gordon-Levitt's portrayal of Joe; a character that you get to follow on his journey (his current dilemma and his self-discovery as a man).
Perfectly cast, the film's main ensemble of Gordon-Levitt, Willis, Blunt and Jeff Daniels, provide a well-rounded story that is easy for the audience to follow. But like Christine mentioned, this story provides you with information that makes you question what is happening on a deeper level than say a movie like Iron Man. Hence, the title of this post.
Although I would normally prefer to see a little more explanation when it comes to the "why" and "how" of time travel (even something as simple as needing 1.21 gigawatts), I did appreciate the simplicity of not adding this into the film. And I think this act helped create a more neatly put together storyline. Most sci-fi films leave tons of plot holes. This film filled what little holes popped up without being hoaky, which some sci-fi films tend to become. Although critics raved it is a terrific sci-fi film, I would have to disagree with James Mottram of Total Film who stated it's "the best sci-fi movie since Moon". Please Mr. Mottram. Yes, Looper was a great film. But it was in no way comparable to the marvel that was Moon. (If you haven't seen Moon yet, DO IT! Especially if you love sci-fi films).
Final Verdict: See it. An enjoyable thrill ride that doesn't take you on the extreme highs and lows that some big budget action movies always do. A time travel plotline that doesn't solely revolve around time travel and is easy to follow. A sci-fi film for those who aren't necessarily sci-fi fans.
PS: if anything, see this film for the adorable young actor, Pierce Gagnon. He stole my heart on One Tree Hill and he does it all over again in this film.
Rotten Tomatoes
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