Predestination (2014)
Director: The Spierig Brothers
Stars: Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook, Noah TaylorRuntime: 97 minutes
Synopsis: For his final assignment, a top temporal agent must pursue the one criminal that has eluded him throughout time. The chase turns into a unique, surprising, and mind-bending exploration of love, fate, identity, and time travel taboos.
Performances: 6/10
Screenplay: 3/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 5/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10
Screenplay: 3/10
Editing: 6/10
Cinematography: 5/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10
Verdict: It wasn't long ago that I stumbled onto a list of "the most cleverly written movies ever made". And pretty high on that list was the Spierig Brothers' "Predestination", a film I had heard of in the past but never really had any interest in. Its inclusion in that list alongside gems like "Primer" or "Pi" did, however, sparkle my interest and I ended up checking it out despite my initial drawbacks.
97 minutes later, I completely understand why the movie is labeled as one of the most complicated sci-fis to come out recently. It's because it doesn't make any sense, but insists that it does. And I'm not only talking about the many paradoxes that come with any time travel movie, but also about the narrative and the oh-so-obvious and cheesy twists within it. The first half is told in flashbacks, and not only is it dull and uninteresting, but it does a lousy job at setting up the second half in which the action takes place. For instance, it's very clear that the characters whose faces are not shown were going to be revealed later on in a way aimed at shocking the audience. And I'm not going to lie, shocked I was. Shocked at how the movie got away with such incredibly dumb twists that relied on either conveniences or just plain nonsense to work. And to top it all, it threw any sort of challenge out the window by explaining to the audience what was happening in the form of narration or even worse, flashbacks.
While my biggest issue with the movie is obviously its script, I can't really say that any of its other elements, such as the acting, score, or cinematography, stood out. But then again, I wasn't expecting much from the directors who gave us "Jigsaw" and "Winchester" a few years later. It's definitely not a movie you'll gain more from with a second viewing, and one I'd personally include in a list of "most nonsensical films ever made".
97 minutes later, I completely understand why the movie is labeled as one of the most complicated sci-fis to come out recently. It's because it doesn't make any sense, but insists that it does. And I'm not only talking about the many paradoxes that come with any time travel movie, but also about the narrative and the oh-so-obvious and cheesy twists within it. The first half is told in flashbacks, and not only is it dull and uninteresting, but it does a lousy job at setting up the second half in which the action takes place. For instance, it's very clear that the characters whose faces are not shown were going to be revealed later on in a way aimed at shocking the audience. And I'm not going to lie, shocked I was. Shocked at how the movie got away with such incredibly dumb twists that relied on either conveniences or just plain nonsense to work. And to top it all, it threw any sort of challenge out the window by explaining to the audience what was happening in the form of narration or even worse, flashbacks.
While my biggest issue with the movie is obviously its script, I can't really say that any of its other elements, such as the acting, score, or cinematography, stood out. But then again, I wasn't expecting much from the directors who gave us "Jigsaw" and "Winchester" a few years later. It's definitely not a movie you'll gain more from with a second viewing, and one I'd personally include in a list of "most nonsensical films ever made".
FINAL GRADE: 3/10
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