Film No. 57 (2014) August 20th. 6:45 PM HOYTS Carousel Cannington.
It seems that with any film using time travel as the key device to tell its story, your mind needs to be prepared for a series of sessions of mind gymnastics. Looper was my last foray into this genre of fantasyland and I enjoyed the mental challenges of that film. I did figure Looper out I must admit. Predestination on the other hand has been harder to ponder but that's not the reason I like it less.
In many respects they are very different films but Looper tended to stay within the bounds of complication. Predestination begins brilliantly; we meet a bartender (Ethan Hawke) who in turn meets a very bitter and twisted drinking client played brilliantly by Australian new comer Sarah Snook. The wonderful story told by Snook's character sets the foundation for the puzzle which lies ahead. Put simply the bartender is a time traveler (violin case in hand)who is obliged to prevent a crime which devastated New York in 1975.
So there you have it; I know I sound evasive but there are too many opportunities to reveal spoilers in this review. Hawke's character is an employee of the government; called a Temporal Agent. He is overseen by a bloke in a hat (Noah Taylor) and its their task to find The Fizzle Bomber before the key moment in history. So what has the mixed up Sarah Snook character got in common with these two gentlemen. Well quite a deal as it turns out but it is all a puzzle. I'm short a few pieces and it's been 48 hours since I saw the film.
The film is a handsome fantasy told a little too longwindedly for me. Sarah Snook is nearly worth the ticket price in itself for her testing role as a gender bender but it is because of her character that the story becomes less plausible thus the puzzle becomes more complicated. Hawke and Taylor are both fine in their roles while the make up and effects are excellent. If you love movies where time is manipulated then don't miss this one. I bet you'll have the puzzle solved within minutes of the titles rolling. 7GUMS.
No comments:
Post a Comment