Time travel films are always hotly anticipated. Something all of us wish was invented, it's usually a joy to see our childish hopes and dreams played out infront of us on the big screen. Personally I'd go back to May 19th and re-watch the Drogba penalty with less nerves, make a lot of money on accumulators and go into business with Roman Abramovic. However, in Looper we see time travel being used for slightly more dangerous means: assassinations. It's 2044 in the grand ol' USA (more specifically, Kansas) and we're promptly told by Joseph Gordon-Levitt that time travel has not been invented yet, but in 30 years it will be...
UNBELIEVABLE, JEFF
JEFF DANIELS has been sent back from 2074 to run things - establishing a criminal network that runs the city. He employs JGL's character, young Joe, as a LOOPER. His job is to be in a certain place at a certain time, and kill whoever has been sent back from the future for a hell of a lot of silver. Trick is though, one day you will come face to face with yourself in the field - a mind fuck to say the least, and then you're supposed to kill your old self, termed: "closing the loop". For some reason, loops are being closed on a much more frequent basis. And surprise, surprise, it's not long before JGL comes face to face with Bruce Willis kneeling in front of him. A questionable casting perhaps, and in the moment that JGL is pondering how he became John McClane, the old Joe springs into action and escapes. Failing to close a loop is punishable by death, and so now there's Jeff Daniels chasing young Joe, chasing old Joe.
my god I want this poster
The greatest part about Looper is that it's incredibly simple in its explanation of how things in the present affect the future. Young Joe, for example, scars his arm to write "Beatrix" in order to get old Joe's attention for a meet at their favourite restaurant. The latter then informs young Joe that there's another waitress who works on weekends called "Jen" that would have been a better choice; but with age comes wisdom, aye? They talk. And young Joe learns that someone called the "Rainmaker" is closing all the loops whilst tearing shit up in a police state America 30 years later - it is, according to old Joe, therefore crucial they find and kill all of the three possible "Rainmakers"; who are nowt but a toddler in 2044.
some questionable face SFX
All of this polarises the two Joes, who have differing opinions on child murder. The old Joe buggers off to make some regrettable decisions, whilst the young 'un uncovers the location of one of the possible "Rainmaker" children: a farm where Sara (Emily Blunt) is a badass mother/farmer/shotgun wielder who lets Joe help protect her child, Cid. As young Joe and Sara become close, he learns she is telekinetic - a genetic mutation that 10% of the population have, however most are unable to do much more than lift coins. Sara is slightly more proficient, as is her son. Meanwhile, old Joe is on a war path. Having lost his dear wife in the future, he is determined to do anything in his power to find the "Rainmaker" and stop his life from unravelling. Even going on one of the best-action directed rampages at Jeff Daniels' head quarters that you'll see this year.
think Kevin Smith would like to go back and un-direct that one, too
The director, Rian Johnson, really surprises in Looper with some excellent cinematography and action editing, and at points feels more like a neo-noir than a time travel fiction. And a neo-noir/time travel film is a hard thing to do, least of all do well. But Johnson really excels in his first real shot at the big time. It's as if he's come back from the future as a master writer/director. Sure he's helped by a stellar cast, and one of the best JGL performances of his career, but the film is genius from start to finish. The dialogue is witty, the idea well executed, and the finale outstanding. We'll be watching Looper again, and again, and again, and again...
not quite as good as Groundhog Day, however.
43/50 STATES
