I’m not the biggest fan of science fiction films, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised with writer/director Rian Johnson’s new film Looper, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt. Having a lot more plot than has been advertized, you’ll be in for a treat walking in to Looper.
Looper tells the story of Joe, a specialized hit man for the mob in the year 2044. Time travel hasn’t been invented yet, but it is in the year 2072. In the future, when the mob wants to get rid of somebody, they send the person back thirty years to get taken care of. This is where the hit men like Joe, known as “Loopers”, come in to dispose of the body. But when Joe’s future self is sent back to get killed, he escapes and it is up to young Joe to track down and kill his older self. Now all of that might have sounded a little confusing, but it works very well on the screen. Rian Johnson’s writing is terrific, and presents the story very clearly and easy to follow. The characters even tackle the subject of how confusing time travel can be, and it leaves us as viewers not having to worry about it.
As strong as the premise and writing is, it has to be carries out by strong performances. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis play great parallels of young Joe and old Joe. JGL even
studies Bruce Willis’s mannerisms and it is probably the most believable use of old/young in a movie. JGL donned prosthetics to look like young Willis and I thought it looked great. The writing does a good job of making you want to root for both young and old Joe, yet they both can’t win. It is very engaging and makes you actually care about the characters, something I think many movies fail to do today. It was refreshing to see Bruce Willis in a role where he actually showed real emotion, and not just another cliché action role. As for Emily Blunts role, I think that she was the weakest part of the movie. Knowing she was British, it was hard for me to buy her southern accent. She was fine in the role, but her relationship with Joseph Gordon-Levitt felt a little forced and their romance wasn’t too believable for me.
The action of Looper is one of the highest points. I was a little worried at first, being a fan of Rian Johnsons other work, which have never been action movies. All the scenes were thought out well, stylized, and memorable. With Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, and now Looper, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has shown that he can be an action star, and also be a great actor. While watching Looper, it made me hopeful for the action roles that he will soon probably receive.
Like I said earlier, there is so much more to this movie than what the previews are showing you. With obvious influences from other science fiction films, but without copying them, Looper is a smart, entertaining film that will have you and your friends really talking after you see it. I’d go as far to say it is the most original science fiction film of the year. Not only is it an entertaining movie, but it is a very quality film.
Rating: Full Price
