I am not able to run out and see many films in the theater, so this was one of those that sort of got pushed to being watched on DVD. So, I was finally able to check Jumper out on Sunday.I was a bit apprehensive, because of some of the reviews I have read from my fellow bloggers whom I respect. But, I was not disappointed. Sure, the movie wasn't Oscar-worthy or very deep - but it was very entertaining.
I think Hayden Christensen has been given a bit of a bad rap because he was Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels. Everyone believes that he is a wooden actor because of his dialogue, but I think those people should look at the original trilogy - most of Star Wars dialogue is wooden.
I think if people want to check out Christensen in a new light, perhaps check out Shattered Glass and to a little lesser extent Life As a House.
Anyway, back to the film.
David Rice (Christensen) is a jumper - someone who can jump to any point in the world (as long as he is able to see it - either through his eyes or a photograph). He first notices this when he tries to rescue a snowglobe he tried to give his crush, Millie (Rachel Bilson) that was on top of some ice. He falls through, and before drowning jumps himself into a public library.
Rice's homelife is pretty terrible - his mother (Diane Lane) left when he was five, and his father is pretty much non-existent. So he leaves home, starts robbing some banks with his new ability and starts living the high-life in a penthouse apartment.
However, due to his bank robbing and constant jumping - he appears on the radar of Roland (Samuel L. Jackson), who is a pladin, or a person who believes God should be the only person to have such abilities - and thus tries to hunt down and kill jumpers.
On a trip to Rome with Millie, Rice meets up with another jumper, Griffin (Jamie Bell), who is a little more experienced and tries to warn him that he is being hunted.
Like I said before, this isn't Oscar-worthy material, but the effects were pretty amazing. And it was highly entertaining for just a quick hour and a half film.
I sort of get the feeling that they were setting up some sequels with the whole mother situation - and hopefully that happens, or else the ending sort of doesn't really make too much sense.
Grade:
I want to thank you for something. I've always been a fan of Hayden's but never understood what people meant when they said he was a wooden actor. I never saw that in his performaces.
ReplyDeleteYou said his dialogue was wooden. Big difference and probably true in the case of Star Wars. I would probably say cliched but I still love all the Star Wars movies in spite of that.
I also think Hayden get's a bad rap because the character of Darth Vader in the prequels was not what some fans wanted him to be even though Lucas created Anakin's prequel character decades before he did the movies.
I found Jumper very entertaining too. A little too short though. The story felt a little truncated. I hope they correct that with a sequel. Love the subject and characters of the story.
I think you were too kind here. Jumper really is an awful movie. I'll agree that a little added length might've helped, but what was left is lame, poorly acted (all around, mind you, save for Jamie Bell, perhaps) and a waste of time. I think what bothers people most is that it seemed like it had such potential but turned out so crummy. And form Doug Liman, no less - the man's reputation is going to shit.
ReplyDeleteAs for Christensen, I've touted Shattered Glass many a time. I'm a big Peter Saarsgard fan, but Hayden held his own just fine. However, it really does seem like that's the aberration and the rest is his true work. I mean, sure, the dialogue in the Star Wars flicks is awful, but it's not like Ewan McGregor came out smelling like a turd.