Friday

Next is a confused film - not necessarily a confusing one (although one person did say 'what?' as the credits started rolling). It begins too quickly. Firstly there is a bad credit sequence, followed by an unnecessary voice-over, and then we are straight into the plot. There's not a very long period of getting used to the scenario (as I described a few days ago). What makes it worse is that the plot is absurd: terrorists have a nuclear bomb somewhere in America. It's almost James Bond, and the warehouse full of bad guys wondering around with semi-automatics doesn't help the situation. Anyway, this film sets up its own rules and then undermines them. Nicolas Cage can see for two minutes into the future, but then he can see longer. This is only ever half-explained. It never goes into the complexities of the situation - does he see every two minutes? Does that mean he lives life twice? They could have gone really dark with this. It's disturbing. Like Groundhog Day, most human beings would probably start to think of suicide after a while. How do you distinguish between what is current and what is in the future? Towards the end he suddenly starts multiplying himself to view hundreds of different possibilities in one two minute space, and having physical shocks when he sees something he doesn't like. None of this is even addressed, which is perhaps a good thing. The love story is creepy, and unexplained (as in most action films). Nonetheless, I was strangely compelled by this film, and I left the cinema wanting to see it again - which you'll understand is rare. There could be interesting comparisons with Memento here. Perhaps what I thought was interesting was just the book by Philip K. Dick seeping through, I'm not sure. Once again we had a main character who avoided guns, and in a new and interesting way. I suggest you see this, as long as you can avoid analysing the physics and consequences of his ability. The ending is intriguing.