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Jumper
Directed by: Doug Liman
Starring: Hayden Christensen
Genre:
Science Fiction/ Fantasy
Run Time: 88
min.
Release Date:
February 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Anakin Skywalker battles
the forces of evil by using the force and ...Oh. Wait a minute. Wrong
movie. Sorry ‘bout that. Well not truly sorry; just a tad peeved at this
flick and how horribly it went astray.
It is true, however, that the grim Hayden Christiansen of the new
STAR WARS
fame is the main character (David Rice), and he has some unique
abilities: he can jump through space/time at will, breakfasting on top
of the Sphinx in Egypt, jumping back to his New York flat for luncheon
pizza, then heading out to surf in Hawaii that same day ...or even hour
if he wished it. He learns he has this power during his high school
years (the young David is played by Max Thieriot – see
THE ASTRONAUT
FARMER) and nearly dies after falling through some thin river ice. He
miraculously reappears in a local library, water and all, soaking book
stacks. David was trying to retrieve a gift from the ice that he’d
gotten for a girl he liked named Millie (Rachel Bilson), but he quickly
learns that his jumping abilities make him something of a freak, and
believes Millie would see him that way too. So he runs away and into the
world.
Once out amongst the populace he learns how to steal, including "jumping"
into bank vaults and taking as much money as he will. But this also
gains him notice by a secret society of men known as Paladins (look up
Palatine and you’ll find interesting parallels). The head of this
religious order is a man named Roland (Samuel L. Jackson,
SNAKES ON A
PLANE), and his goal is to kill Jumpers (“No one but God should have
these powers!”)
So the battle between Jumper and Paladin is set and interesting shots
and gadgets dot the screen. And that’s about it...
The biggest flaw with the film is that there’s no set-up to it. We don’t
really know why Jumpers can do what they do (Genetic/X-Men-like
mutation? Alien DNA? Gods?). We also don’t know who funds the Paladins
with all of their travel, gadgets, and many, many members. I can guess
that it might have been the Roman Catholic Church, but it’s never even
hinted at. If it was the church, then how did Roland get access to
secret information, including bank vaults, police records, etc.?
With all of its story flaws, Jumpers does have some amazing CGI.
Particularly, there was one scene where Roland is in the desert and a
Jumper brings a double-decker London bus with him through a "jump scar"
and tries to roll it on top of Roland. That was incredible and made my
jaw drop.
But that was it. All style over any substance, Jumper was so weak along
storylines that I didn’t much care what happened to anyone in the film.
The worst part is that the ending was obviously set up for a sequel.
Maybe Mace Windu (Jackson's Star Wars character) could magically appear
and wield 'The Force' to kill that off, too.
(back to top) |
Image from Jumper
DVD cost: $21.99
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Eminem reportedly turned
down an offer to star in the lead role. But an MTV report quoted
director Doug Liman saying that his plan to have Eminem in the movie was
dropped right after he met Hayden Christensen.
Movie Quote: "What
I'd like to know is how you rob a bank without opening any doors."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Jumper
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