2007 movieRating: 10/20
Plot: Oh, snap! Somebody wants to blow up Los Angeles, and the FBI thinks the only person who can stop it is a two-bit Las Vegas magician who can see two minutes into the future. That magician (Cris Johnson, a guy who gets my nerves automatically because of the lack of 'h' in his name) is too busy trying to make a quick buck and ball Jessica Biel though.
Sleazy hair and silky-smooth narration. That's really what modern Nic Cage movies are about. Unfortunately for my boy Nic and this movie, I don't really like his character. There is one terrific moment where a character asks him if he's a leprechaun, and he laughs hysterically. And we get to see his flirting on display as he woos Biel with conversation about raining fish in Denmark, Zen monks eating hot dogs, and quotes from Italian painters. This movie's got some unfortunate special effects and some very big music. The characters aren't allowed to evolve; they're just there to set up big big action sequences anyway. The finale is the dumbest with Nicolas Cage looking like he's in a movie made by M.C. Escher, duplicated and re-duplicated until there are about a dozen running around. Yeah, don't get excited Nicolas Cage fanboys because it's just about as stupid as it sounds and only slightly arousing. You also get a Matrix-y Nicolas Cage twisting away from bullets. It also borrows from A Clockwork Orange in another implausible scene where the FBI forces C[h]ris to keep his eyes open and watch something-rather. I just didn't buy much of what was going on in this. The seeing-two-minutes-into-the-future premise has promise, but what they do with the special magic power isn't all that interesting. I also didn't buy the Biel relationship. This seemingly half-assed effort lacks the depth to make you think about anything and doesn't have the special effects or action choreography to make this a very good action-thriller.
I really wish Nicolas Cage would only work with monkeys or Werner Herzog. Eagerly awaiting, by the way: Ghostrider: Stallion of the Cimarron. I saw a preview where he pisses fire in that one!
Yeah, this movie is one of those high concept pitches that goes way wrong. It really is a cool premise, a super power that is both incredibly useful and also incredibly frustrating. You are right about the Biel/Cage relationship. It has zero chemistry, a big part of that might have to do with the fact they are almost 20 years apart in age. The versatile and underrated Julianne Moore is out there, but apparently way too old for the pushing fifty Cage.
ReplyDeleteA ten is about right. I dont even remember where or why I saw this. I THINK it was at a dollar theater in Portland, and if so, I paid too much. A nine for me....so I can pretend I am thinking for myself.