Looper centres on
Midwest American gangsters in the future who are using time-travel for their
homicidal purposes. Quite a premise, one that transmits to screen magnificently
in what is surely one of the best sci-fi films in the last few years. Looper is intriguing and occasionally
moving but is above all, extremely exciting.
Looper is the
third film to be written and directed by Rian Johnson and will ensure him wider
recognition. Johnson has created a complex plot in a strange and sorry future
setting; however the script and direction ensure that few things will go over
the audience’s head, which is one of the hazards in any film with fantasy
elements like time-travel. Johnson has said himself that he didn’t want the
intricacies of time-travel to distract from what is ultimately a
character-based movie, which is a pledge he lives up to. Most people will
already understand the basic premise from the enticing trailer; a young hitman
called Joe (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) fails to dispatch his older self (played
by Bruce Willis) who is sent back in time to get killed by himself. This part
of the plot takes a while to kick in but never fear because there is plenty of
suspense and surprise prior to and following that scene, which I won’t spoil
for you.
The film is packed with plenty of brilliant action sequences
involving fighting, chasing and shooting. The violence is very bloody and
frenzied, yet despite this the film’s most horrifying scene is completely
bloodless but effective in showing what is at stake for both Joes. The setting
is very vivid, juxtaposing retro and futuristic styles and technologies, as
well as rural and urban landscapes. All these things help the film’s biggest
virtue, its near-perfect pacing. While the action is certainly thrilling, it is
the two/three lead characters who make it engaging. Both Joes are pursuing
urgent but markedly different ends in a somewhat contrasting manner, leading to
plenty of outer tension with himself. Their story becomes intertwined with
Sara’s (played by Emily Blunt), a single-mother raising her son on her isolated
farm. Sara is a secretive character who steadily gains the audience’s interest
as her role becomes evident. All two/three are well written and performed
characters that we can sympathise with even if what they do is morally
questionable.
The issue of principle is one of Looper’s freshest features, departing from anything too formulaic
by presenting very fuzzy ethical dilemmas without disengaging the audience.
Even the main antagonists don’t seem particularly villainous or dislikeable.
The mob-boss Abe (played by Jeff Daniels), reminds me more of The Dude than The
Don and the cocky mob-enforcer Kid Blue (played by Noah Sagan) just appears to
be above-all misguided. Indeed in this violent and anarchic future, the ethics
of several actions by characters are open to discussion.
It is hard to find much to find wrong with Looper; the music isn’t particularly
memorable but it does its job, there are some plot details one is susceptible
to miss but they aren’t vital and our view of the future Bruce Willis is from
isn’t very clear but it isn’t supposed to be because nothing is certain even if
it has already happened. The future in
Looper is just as opaque as our own, with a few suggestions and silhouettes
about what might be. This is also reflected in the film’s originality which
when combined with other virtues helps create one of the most surprising and
satisfying experiences you’ll see on screen this year.
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